Flórián György Albert was a Hungarian professional football player, manager and sports official, who was named European Footballer of the Year in 1967. Nicknamed "The Emperor", he played as a forward, and has been described as one of the most elegant footballers of all time.
Albert in 1966
Farewell from Flórián Albert in front of the stadium named after him
The Ballon d'Or is an annual football award presented by French magazine France Football since 1956 to honour the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous season.
Ballon d'Or trophy
Gianni Rivera hoisting the 1969 Ballon d'Or.
Lionel Messi has won the most Ballons d'Or in history, with eight wins in three different decades. He is also the record holder for most consecutive wins, with four between 2009 and 2012.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or a record eighteen times, and is a five-time winner.