Real Madrid Ballon d’or winners: Los Blancos still the kings despite 2024 twist

The morning after a day of high drama leading up to the 2024 ceremony, we're taking a look back at the Real Madrid Ballon d'Or winners of years past.

It wasn't Real's year this time, but with three of last night's top-four at the Ballon d'Or representing the club, the current European champions were as domineering a presence as ever at a ceremony where they've traditionally enjoyed immense success.

In all, Real are 12-each with El Clasico rivals Barcelona for Ballon d'Or-winning representatives, but no club has fronted more variety than the eight different players to have picked up the coveted golden ball for Real. Barcelona only manage six in that regard.

With no further ado, here are those eight legends…

Real Madrid Ballon d'or winners

To clarify, these are players who won the award while representing Real Madrid, though the exploits that led them to a Ballon d'Or may have come while playing for other sides prior to transferring to Real.

Alfredo di Stefano (1957, 1959)

Coming after Sir Stanley Matthews won the inaugural trophy with humble Blackpool, the second-ever winner of the Ballon d'Or was the great Alfredo di Stefano, all the way back in 1957. The attacker known as “Saeta Rubia” (Blonde Arrow) won the European Cup and La Liga, netting 40 goals in 40 games.

Di Stefano, who famously represented Argentina, Colombia and Spain in his international career, would win the award again in 1959, as he won La Liga's top scorer award for a fourth successive campaign, and a third successive European Cup.

Raymond Kopa (1958)

The only player of that era who had a real chance of interrupting di Stefano's dominance was his supremely talented teammate, Raymond Kopa. The Frenchman won the Ballon d'Or in 1958.

The diminutive attacker played a big part in Los Blancos' lethal attack in the 50s, dovetailing with di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas. He shone brightest in 1958, as Real won another La Liga and European Cup title.

Luis Figo (2000)

The first (but not last) legendary Portuguese winger on our list is Luis Figo, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2000.

Figo notoriously moved from Barcelona to Real Madrid, prompting furious Cules to infamously throw a severed pig's head onto the pitch in El Clasico.

The controversy did not slow Figo down though. The wing wizard was unplayable at the turn of the millennium, creating 19 goals for his teammates, and scoring 14 himself.

Ronaldo (2002)

The ‘original' Ronaldo first won the '97 award at Internazionale, but it was his performances at arch-rivals Barcelona that clinched it, with 47 goals in his sole campaign in Catalonia.

Five years later, however, R9 would win the Ballon d'Or in white, clinching the 2002 edition thanks to his phenomenal 2002 World Cup performance.

Fabio Cannavaro (2006)

One of the more niche nicknames in football is that of “The Berlin Wall”, given to Fabio Cannavaro for his incredible defensive displays at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

The diminutive centre-back was instrumental in Italy's triumph, and Real Madrid took notice, bringing him to the Bernabeu in summer 2006, where he clinched the Ballon d'Or.

Cannavaro is the last defender to win the award, and was only the third defender to ever win the hallowed trophy.

Cristiano Ronaldo (2013, 14, 16, 17)

No Ballon d'Or list would ever be complete without Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese icon, who made a stunning metamorphosis from devilishly tricky winger to one of the most efficient and spectacular strikers the game has ever seen won five Ballon d'Ors.

CR7 won his first Ballon d'Or at Manchester United in 2008, as he won a Premier League and Champions League double, all while scoring 39 and assisting eight.

He'd have to wait until 2013 for his second award, on account of Lionel Messi's magic. But Cristiano would then turn up the dominance, winning four of the next five awards as he never scored fewer than 42 goals a season for Los Blancos.

Luka Modric (2018)

Modric did not win the World Cup in Russia, but getting to the final in the first place was a huge achievement for Croatia all the same. On a personal level, Modric had an incredible year too, clinching the Champions League title with Real, shortly before being named Best FIFA Footballer of the Year in September.

As the first Croatian to ever win the Ballon d'Or, he outshone his by-now former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo, who came in second. Completing the podium was France's World Cup hero Antoine Griezmann.

Karim Benzema (2022)

Stepping out of Ronaldo's shadow, Karim Benzema became Real's talisman as we entered the 2020s, and his 2021/22 season was the apex of his Los Blancos career.

The Frenchman scored 44 goals in all competitions as Real romped to a La Liga and Champions League double. Benzema was laughably good in Europe, scoring 15 goals in 12 appearances.