8 players with the most Ballon d'Or nominations in history
The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual award a footballer can win in the game.
Introduced by French Football in 1956, the Ballon d'Or is an annual prize given to the best player for club and country during the year. Coaches and captains of all national teams and select journalists make their top three nominations from a previously announced shortlist of players. The player with the most 'top' nominations wins the award.
Although the award has been made open to players across the globe since 2007, only top-five league players have won the Ballon d'Or since 1995.
This year's Ballon d'Or shortlist contains a plethora of attackers, as is usually the case. Italy's Euro 2020-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, midfielder Jorginho, and defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci failed to make the cut.
The 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or 🏆
Who do you think deserves it?🤔
📸 @ActuFoot_ https://t.co/uJ5YZRcZ7K
Over the years, many top players have received Ballon d'Or nominations, but not all have won the prestigious accolade. On that note, here's a look at eight players with the most Ballon d'Or nominations in history:
#8 Zinedine Zidane - 8 (1998 Ballon d'Or winner)
Zinedine Zidane is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the game's history.
The Frenchman received eight Ballon d'Or nominations during his illustrious playing career. He made only three podium finishes, though, winning the award in 1998 and finishing third and second in 1997 and 2000 respectively.
📅 #OnThisDay in 1998, Zinedine Zidane won the Ballon d'Or 🏆
#ForzaJuve https://t.co/jCQG4HRFlT
Zidane won league titles with Juventus (2) and Real Madrid (1). With the Merengues, Zidane won the 2002 Champions League, where his blistering volley in the final against Bayer Leverkusen sealed Madrid's ninth win in the competition.
He also found success with France, winning the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship two years later.
#7 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 11
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most decorated players to have graced the game, especially since the turn of the century.
He has won league titles in four different countries, bagging five top-scorer awards. However, the Ballon d'Or is conspicuous by its absence in his glittering resume. Ibrahimovic has been nominated on 11 occasions for the prestigious award, but didn't once finish on the podium.
Nevertheless, the 40-year-old remains a top performer for club and country. The all-time Sweden top-scorer recently notched up his 500th goal in club football.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has now scored 500 career club goals 🤯 https://t.co/eJwDs4r0V1
Now at AC Milan, Ibrahimovic has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon.