Will Yamal break the record? The youngest Ballon d’Or winners in history | OneFootball

Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal underlined his status as football’s most exciting talent with an exhilarating performance in the Champions League this week.

The 17-year-old’s showing against Inter Milan has dominated the headlines, with the winger in unstoppable form. Yamal has now reached 100 appearances for Barcelona and has contributed 55 goals and assists in that time. Last summer, he helped Spain to success at Euro 2024.

Yamal does not turn 18 until the summer, but he already ranks among the finest talents in the game. So much so, there appears a strong chance that Yamal could become the youngest-ever Ballon d’Or winner. We’ve looked at the five youngest players to win the award.

The youngest Ballon d’Or winners in history

5. Oleg Blokhin, 23 years, 1 month and 25 days (1975)

Oleg Blohkin became the first Ukrainian to win the Ballon d’Or in 1975, after inspiring Dynamo Kyiv to a historic treble. Blohkin was the leading scorer as Dynamo won the Soviet Top League and also helped the club to UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Super Cup success.

Blohkin – the record scorer of the Soviet Top League and Soviet Union national team – beat Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff to the 1975 Ballon d’Or.

4. George Best, 22 years, 7 months and 2 days (1968)

George Best was recognised with football’s highest individual honour in 1968, becoming the first footballer under 23 to win the prize.

Best was at his brilliant best as Manchester United became England’s first winner of the European Cup. A decade on from the Munich Air Disaster, Best inspired the Red Devils to European success alongside Bobby Charlton and Denis Law.

The club’s ‘Holy Trinity’ of Best, Charlton and Law all claimed the Ballon d’Or between 1964 and 1968. It was the former who won the award in 1967/68, after scoring 32 goals in all competitions. That return included a goal in the 4-1 extra-time win over Benfica in the European Cup final.

3. Lionel Messi, 22 years, 5 months and 7 days (2009)

Lionel Messi holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or wins with the first of the Argentine’s eight honours arriving in 2009. Messi was just 22 years and five months old when he won the Ballon d’Or for the first time, having helped Barcelona to a historic treble success.

Messi’s move into a central role resulted in 38 goals in all competitions, as he combined with Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry for a century of goals. He finished ahead of the previous year’s winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Barcelona teammate Xavi in the vote.

2. Michael Owen, 22 years and 4 days (2001)

Michael Owen became only England’s fourth Ballon d’Or winner just four days after his 22nd birthday. Owen had finished fourth in the 1998 vote as an 18-year-old, following an exceptional breakout season at Liverpool that ended with the Premier League’s Golden Boot.

Three years later, Owen inspired the Reds to a cup treble under Gerard Houllier. He scored 28 goals in all competitions as Liverpool lifted the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup during the 2000/01 season.

Owen netted in a thrilling UEFA Cup final win over Alaves and was on target twice late on as Liverpool came from behind to beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final.

He became the first English-based player to win the Ballon d’Or in the Premier League era.

Iconic Performances: The ‘Michael Owen FA Cup Final’

1. Ronaldo Nazario, 21 years, 3 months and 5 days (1997)

Ronaldo Nazario holds the record as the youngest-ever winner of the Ballon d’Or.

Ronaldo’s remarkable record in front of goal began at Cruzeiro, before a move to Europe to join PSV Eindhoven. After 54 goals in 57 games for the Dutch side, Barcelona broke the world transfer record to land the forward.

O Fenômeno lived up to that billing as he fired the Catalans to a cup treble. He scored 47 goals in 49 games during the 1996/97 season as Barcelona won a Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup treble.

Another world-record move followed as Ronaldo joined Inter Milan that summer, becoming the first player since Diego Maradona to break the transfer record twice. After an explosive start in Italy, he was recognised with a record-breaking 1997 Ballon d’Or and won the award for a second time after top-scoring during Brazil’s 2002 World Cup success.

Read – Remembering when a 21-year-old Ronaldo Nazario won the Ballon d’Or

See more – The Premier League players to win the Ballon d’Or

Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok