Every French footballer to have won the Ballon d’Or | OneFootball

Ousmane Dembele has been named winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2025, following a brilliant season at Paris Saint-Germain.

Dembele has become the sixth Frenchman to win the illustrious award, more than any other nation. France’s eight trophies, split between those six stars, also sees the country level Spain for the most Ballon d’Or awards.

Here is every French footballer to have won the Ballon d’Or.

Raymond Kopa (1958)

Raymond Kopa became the third winner of the Ballon d’Or after taking the 1958 prize. He succeeded Real Madrid teammate Alfredo Di Stefano to take the honour, after shining as the Spanish side dominated the early editions of the European Cup. During his three seasons at the Bernabeu, Kopa won two league titles and three European Cups.

Michel Platini (1983, 1984, 1985)

Michel Platini was the next Frenchman to win the Ballon d’Or during a three-year stranglehold on the award.

Platini became the first player to win the Ballon d’Or in three consecutive years, a feat since only matched by Lionel Messi. He won his first prize after scoring 28 goals during a brilliant debut season at Juventus, before retaining the award after a record-breaking European Championship in 1984. Platini scored nine goals in just five games as he captained France to a first-ever major tournament success on home soil.

In 1985, he won the award again, after scoring 29 goals in all competitions. That season, he led Juventus to their maiden European Cup.

Iconic Performances: Peak Platini hits three in rout of Belgium at Euro ’84

Jean-Pierre Papin (1991)

One of Europe’s most prolific goalscorers at Marseille, Papin was Ligue 1’s leading scorer in five consecutive campaigns between 1988 and 1992.

He won the Ballon d’Or in 1991, following a season that saw the Frenchman score 38 goals and lead Marseille to the league title and European Cup final. He was the top scorer in both competitions.

90s Hitmen: The King of France’s cursed generation, Jean-Pierre Papin

Zinedine Zidane (1998)

The inspiration behind France’s first World Cup win, Zinedine Zidane, won the 1998 Ballon d’Or.

Zidane scored twice as France beat Brazil 3-0 to win the 1998 World Cup on home soil, in a tournament that followed Serie A success with Juventus and a run to the Champions League final.

Though Zidane won the Ballon d’Or just once, he did claim the FIFA World Player of the Year a joint-record three times, in 1998, 2000, and 2003.

Karim Benzema (2022)

It was over two decades before France’s next Ballon d’Or winner, when Karim Benzema won the 2022 edition. After spending much of his Real Madrid career in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema’s brilliance shone as the main man in 2021/22.

He scored 44 goals in 46 games, ending the season as the top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League as Real Madrid won both trophies. At 34 years and 10 months old, he became the second-oldest winner of the Ballon d’Or.

Ousmane Dembele (2025)

Ousmane Dembele’s win in 2025 means France has set a new record for most Ballon d’Or winners.

Dembele was the driving force in Paris Saint-Germain’s quadruple-winning season, scoring 35 goals after being reinvented as a central forward.

It was a remarkable redemption arc for Dembele, who has struggled to fulfil his potential at Barcelona and PSG amid injuries. A season free from issues saw Dembele explode to be recognised as world football’s best.

Read – All the award winners from the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony

See more – Ballon d’Or 2025: The top 30 rankings in full

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