The FIFA World Cup features several prestigious awards presented to players for exceptional performances, with the Golden Ball recognising the best player of each tournament.
Introduced in 1982 alongside the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball has been awarded at every World Cup since. FIFA’s technical committee prepares a shortlist, and the winner is chosen through votes cast by selected media representatives. Players are eligible for the award regardless of whether their team wins the tournament.
Over the years, there have been 10 different winners of the Golden Ball. Lionel Messi became the first player to win the award twice after leading Argentina to victory in 2022. Notably, Oliver Kahn remains the only goalkeeper to have won the award, doing so in 2002.
The award is distinct from team success – players from runner-up teams have won the Golden Ball on multiple occasions, including Luka Modrić in 2018 (Croatia) and Lionel Messi in 2014 (Argentina). This demonstrates that FIFA and the voting media recognize individual excellence regardless of the final tournament outcome.
FIFA World Cup: List of Golden Ball Winners
Paolo Rossi became the first winner of the Golden Ball at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. Lionel Messi became the latest winner of the Golden Ball at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
| Sl No. | Year | Golden Ball Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1982 | Paolo Rossi (ITA) |
| 2 | 1986 | Diego Maradona (ARG) |
| 3 | 1990 | Salvatore Schillaci (ITA) |
| 4 | 1994 | Romário (BRA) |
| 5 | 1998 | Ronaldo Nazário (BRA) |
| 6 | 2002 | Oliver Kahn (GER) |
| 7 | 2006 | Zinedine Zidane (FRA) |
| 8 | 2010 | Diego Forlán (URU) |
| 9 | 2014 | Lionel Messi (ARG) |
| 10 | 2018 | Luka Modrić (CRO) |
| 11 | 2022 | Lionel Messi (ARG) |
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Story first published: Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 20:01 [IST]
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