FIFA World Cup Finals Tournaments 1930 to 2026 Golden Ball
The Golden Ball award is presented to the best player at each FIFA World Cup finals, with a shortlist drawn up by the FIFA technical committee and the winner voted for by representatives of the media. Those who finish as runners-up in the vote receive the Silver Ball and Bronze Ball awards as the second and third most outstanding players in the tournament respectively.
| Year | Golden Ball Winner | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | José Nasazzi | Uruguay |
| 1934 | Giuseppe Meazza | Italy |
| 1938 | Leônidas | Brazil |
| 1950 | Zizinho | Brazil |
| 1954 | Ferenc Puskás | Hungary |
| 1958 | Didi | Brazil |
| 1962 | Garrincha | Brazil |
| 1966 | Bobby Charlton | England |
| 1970 | Pelé | Brazil |
| 1974 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands |
| 1978 | Mario Kempes | Argentina |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Italy |
| 1986 | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
| 1990 | Salvatore Schillaci | Italy |
| 1994 | Romário | Brazil |
| 1998 | Ronaldo | Brazil |
| 2002 | Oliver Kahn | Germany |
| 2006 | Zinedine Zidane | France |
| 2010 | Diego Forlán | Uruguay |
| 2014 | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
| 2018 | Luka Modric | Croatia |
| 2022 | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
| 2026 | Rodri | Spain |
About the author: Paul Yarden
Paul Yarden founded MyFootballFacts (MFF) in April 2009, after decades of collecting football data and statistics. A devout football fan, Paul follows the beautiful game around the world. As MFF’s main statistician and chief editor, he creates data reviews, daily football quizzes, and writes numerous articles. Renowned for his ability to spot trends, Paul is often described as a walking…