Palmarès par année (1956 à 2025)
| 2025 |
? |
| 2024 |  Rodri |
| 2023 |  Messi |
| 2022 |  Benzema |
| 2021 | Messi |
| 2020 | – |
| 2019 | Messi |
| 2018 |  Modrić |
| 2017 |  C. Ronaldo |
| 2016 | C. Ronaldo |
| 2015 | Messi |
| 2014 | C. Ronaldo |
| 2013 | C. Ronaldo |
| 2012 | Messi |
| 2011 | Messi |
| 2010 | Messi |
| 2009 | Messi |
| 2008 | C. Ronaldo |
| 2007 |  Kaká |
| 2006 |  F. Cannavaro |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho |
| 2004 |  Shevchenko |
| 2003 |  Nedvěd |
| 2002 | Ronado |
| 2001 |  Owen |
| 2000 | Zidane |
| 1999 | Rivaldo |
| 1998 | Zidane |
| 1997 | Ronado |
| 1996 |  Sammer |
| 1995 |  Weah |
| 1994 |  Stoichkov |
| 1993 | R. Baggio |
| 1992 |  Van Basten |
| 1991 | Papin |
| 1990 | Matthäus |
| 1989 | Van Basten |
| 1988 | Van Basten |
| 1987 | Gullit |
| 1986 |  Belanov |
| 1985 | Platini |
| 1984 | Platini |
| 1983 | Platini |
| 1982 | P. Rossi |
| 1981 | Rummenigge |
| 1980 | Rummenigge |
| 1979 | Keegan |
| 1978 | Keegan |
| 1977 |  Simonsen |
| 1976 | Beckenbauer |
| 1975 | Blokhine |
| 1974 | Cruyff |
| 1973 | Cruyff |
| 1972 | Beckenbauer |
| 1971 | Cruyff |
| 1970 | G. Müller |
| 1969 | Rivera |
| 1968 |  Best |
| 1967 |  Albert |
| 1966 | B. Charlton |
| 1965 | Eusébio |
| 1964 |  Law |
| 1963 | Yachine |
| 1962 | Masopust |
| 1961 | Sívori |
| 1960 | Suárez M. |
| 1959 | Di Stéfano |
| 1958 | Kopa |
| 1957 | Di Stéfano |
| 1956 | Matthews |