Ronaldo Nazário is the youngest Ballon d’Or winner in men’s football history. He won the award in 1997 at 21 years, 3 months and 5 days old, after a remarkable year with Barcelona, Inter Milan and Brazil.
Only four players have won the Ballon d’Or before turning 23: Ronaldo Nazário, Michael Owen, Lionel Messi and George Best.
The table below ranks the youngest men’s Ballon d’Or winners by their exact age on the date the award was presented.
Ronaldo’s 1997 victory remains the record, with France Football confirming that he was only 21 when he received the prize.
Youngest Ballon d’Or Winners
Ages are calculated from each player’s date of birth and the Ballon d’Or presentation date. Published age figures can vary slightly between sources because some use different dates or age-calculation methods.
| Rank | Player | Year | Age at Award | Club | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ronaldo Nazário | 1997 | 21 years, 3 months, 5 days | Inter Milan | Brazil |
| 2 | Michael Owen | 2001 | 22 years, 4 days | Liverpool | England |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | 2009 | 22 years, 5 months, 7 days | Barcelona | Argentina |
| 4 | George Best | 1968 | 22 years, 7 months, 2 days | Manchester United | Northern Ireland |
| 5 | Oleg Blokhin | 1975 | 23 years, 1 month, 25 days | Dynamo Kyiv | Soviet Union |
| 6 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2008 | 23 years, 9 months, 27 days | Manchester United | Portugal |
| 7 | Eusébio | 1965 | 23 years, 11 months, 3 days | Benfica | Portugal |
| 8 | Marco van Basten | 1988 | 24 years, 1 month, 27 days | Milan | Netherlands |
| 9 | Johan Cruyff | 1971 | 24 years, 8 months, 3 days | Ajax | Netherlands |
| 10 | Luis Suárez | 1960 | 25 years, 7 months, 11 days | Barcelona | Spain |
Note: Ages are calculated using the player’s documented date of birth and the Ballon d’Or presentation date. Where published sources differ, this article uses the calculated age rather than rounded ages.
Ronaldo Nazário. The Youngest Ballon d’Or Winner
Ronaldo Nazário won the 1997 Ballon d’Or at 21. France Football records the award and notes that he was only 21 when he received it.
Ronaldo’s 1996–97 season with Barcelona was the foundation for his Ballon d’Or campaign. He scored 47 goals in 49 games before moving to Inter Milan in the summer of 1997.
His performances in Spain, followed by his immediate impact after moving to Inter, helped him collect 222 votes in the Ballon d’Or voting, well ahead of runner-up Predrag Mijatović on 68.
Ronaldo became the first Brazilian to win the Ballon d’Or after the award’s eligibility rules were expanded in 1995. He later won a second Ballon d’Or in 2002.
Michael Owen — Second-Youngest Ballon d’Or Winner
Michael Owen won the 2001 Ballon d’Or at 22 years and four days. The Liverpool and England striker received the award on 18 December 2001.
France Football’s profile of Owen highlights Liverpool’s five-trophy haul that year. The Reds collected the FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Charity Shield. Owen scored two late goals in the FA Cup final against Arsenal to turn the match around.
Owen remains the second-youngest Ballon d’Or winner and, as of 2025, the last English player to receive the award.
Lionel Messi — Third-Youngest Ballon d’Or Winner
Lionel Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 at 22 years, 5 months and 7 days. The award was presented on 1 December 2009.
Barcelona won the Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey and FIFA Club World Cup during that calendar year, and Messi finished first in the Ballon d’Or voting.
Messi is the third-youngest winner. Ronaldo Nazário and Michael Owen collected the award at younger ages. He later won the Ballon d’Or seven more times. Details of his full haul appear in coverage of Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or wins.
George Best — Fourth-Youngest Ballon d’Or Winner
George Best won the 1968 Ballon d’Or at 22 years, 7 months and 2 days. The Manchester United and Northern Ireland winger received the award on 24 December 1968.
Best helped United become the first English club to win the European Cup that year. He scored in the final against Benfica. France Football confirms both the Ballon d’Or and the European Cup success.
Best held the record as the youngest winner until Ronaldo Nazário surpassed it in 1997.
Oleg Blokhin and the Other Young Winners
Oleg Blokhin of Dynamo Kyiv and the Soviet Union won in 1975 at 23 years, 1 month and 25 days. He remains the fifth-youngest winner.
Cristiano Ronaldo claimed his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 at 23 years, 9 months and 27 days while at Manchester United.
Eusébio of Benfica and Portugal won in 1965 at 23 years, 11 months and 3 days. Marco van Basten of Milan and the Netherlands took the 1988 award at 24 years, 1 month and 27 days.
Johan Cruyff of Ajax and the Netherlands won in 1971 at 24 years, 8 months and 3 days. Luis Suárez of Barcelona and Spain received the 1960 award at 25 years, 7 months and 11 days.
Has a Teenager Ever Won the Ballon d’Or?
No. No male player has won the Ballon d’Or as a teenager. Ronaldo Nazário remains the youngest winner and was already 21 when he collected the 1997 award.
Young players can earn nominations, finish high in the voting or win the Kopa Trophy, but the main men’s Ballon d’Or has never gone to a teenager.
Did a Teenager Win the Ballon d’Or in 2025?
Lamine Yamal did not become the youngest Ballon d’Or winner in 2025. Ousmane Dembélé won the men’s award, while Yamal won the Kopa Trophy.
France Football’s current palmarès confirms Dembélé as the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner and Yamal as the 2025 Kopa Trophy winner.
How Old Was Messi When He Won His First Ballon d’Or?
Lionel Messi was 22 years old when he won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009. Messi was the third-youngest winner in the ranking, behind Ronaldo Nazário and Michael Owen.
Messi went on to win the award seven more times, eventually claiming eight Ballon d’Or titles by 2023. No other player has won the award more frequently.
How Old Was Cristiano Ronaldo When He Won His First Ballon d’Or?
Cristiano Ronaldo was 23 years old when he won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008, playing for Manchester United.
At 23, Cristiano Ronaldo was older than each of the four players above him in this ranking: Ronaldo Nazário, Michael Owen, Lionel Messi and George Best.
Cristiano Ronaldo would go on to win the award five times in total—the second-highest count after Messi’s eight.
Youngest Ballon d’Or winner FAQs
Who is the youngest Ballon d’Or winner?
Ronaldo Nazário is the youngest player to win the men’s Ballon d’Or. He won the award in 1997 at 21 years old.
Has a teenager ever won the Ballon d’Or?
No. No teenager has won the men’s Ballon d’Or. Ronaldo Nazário, at 21, remains the youngest winner in the award’s history.
Who is the second-youngest Ballon d’Or winner?
Michael Owen is the second-youngest winner. He won the award in 2001 at 22 years and four days old while playing for Liverpool.
How old was Messi when he won his first Ballon d’Or?
Lionel Messi was 22 when he won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 while playing for Barcelona. He was the third-youngest winner.
How old was Cristiano Ronaldo when he won his first Ballon d’Or?
Cristiano Ronaldo was 23 when he won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 while playing for Manchester United.
Who is the youngest Ballon d’Or winner in the 21st century?
Ronaldo Nazário won in 1997, before the 21st century. Among 21st-century winners, Michael Owen is the youngest, winning in 2001 at 22 years and four days.
Conclusion
Ronaldo Nazário’s record as the youngest Ballon d’Or winner has endured for more than 28 years. He won the award in 1997 at 21 years old, and no younger winner has emerged since.
Only four players have won the Ballon d’Or before turning 23: Ronaldo Nazário, Michael Owen, Lionel Messi and George Best. Seven had won it before reaching 24, including Oleg Blokhin, Cristiano Ronaldo and Eusébio.
No teenager has won the men’s Ballon d’Or. For the complete history of the award, see the complete Ballon d’Or winners list.
