Full list: Every FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner since 1982

While FIFA has recognised the best player at every tournament since the World Cup’s inception in 1930, the official Golden Ball award—co-sponsored by Adidas and France Football—was formally introduced at the 1982 tournament in Spain.

Since then, the award has evolved into the ultimate individual honour on the international stage. Interestingly, winning it doesn’t guarantee lifting the actual trophy; in fact, a recurring trend has seen the Golden Ball go to a player from the runner-up or third-placed team.

Here is the complete history of every official FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner since 1982.

1982 Spain: Paolo Rossi (Italy)

The inaugural official Golden Ball went to a man who enjoyed arguably the most dramatic redemption arc in football history. After returning from a suspension just before the tournament, Rossi started slowly but caught fire in the knockout stages. He scored a legendary hat-trick against a heavily favoured Brazil, two goals in the semi-final against Poland, and the opener in the final against West Germany. Rossi swept the tournament, taking home the Golden Ball, the Golden Boot (6 goals), and the World Cup trophy.

1986 Mexico: Diego Maradona (Argentina)

Maradona’s 1986 campaign is widely regarded as the most dominant individual performance in World Cup history. Serving as Argentina’s captain, he scored five goals and provided five assists. The tournament was defined by his iconic quarter-final performance against England, featuring the infamous “Hand of God” goal, followed just minutes later by the “Goal of the Century,” where he dribbled past five English defenders. Maradona capped it off by setting up Jorge Burruchaga for the winning goal in the final against West Germany.

1990 Italy: Salvatore Schillaci (Italy)

Popularly known as “Totò,” Schillaci entered the 1990 tournament on home soil as a relative unknown, starting on the bench for Italy. He came on as a substitute in the opening match against Austria, scored the winner, and never looked back. Schillaci scored in almost every subsequent match, finishing with six goals to win both the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball, carrying the Azzurri to a third-place finish.

1994 United States: Romário (Brazil)

In 1994, Brazil broke a 24-year World Cup drought, and Romário was the catalyst. Operating at the absolute peak of his clinical finishing powers, the striker scored five goals throughout the tournament—including crucial tallies in the group stage and the lone goal in the semi-final against Sweden. His elite movement and link-up play earned him a well-deserved Golden Ball alongside the winner’s medal.

1998 France: Ronaldo (Brazil)

At just 21 years old, Ronaldo Nazário took the 1998 World Cup by storm. “O Fenômeno” terrorised defences with his terrifying blend of raw speed, power, and step-overs, scoring four goals and assisting three more to guide Brazil to the final. Though the final itself was overshadowed by a sudden medical emergency Ronaldo suffered hours before kickoff, his spectacular performances up to that point secured him the tournament’s MVP honours.

2002 South Korea/Japan: Oliver Kahn (Germany)

To this day, Oliver Kahn remains the only goalkeeper in history to win the World Cup Golden Ball. Leading an unheralded German side, Kahn was a mountainous, intimidating presence between the sticks. He conceded just a single goal in six matches leading up to the final, keeping five clean sheets. Despite a late error in the final against Brazil while playing with a torn ligament in his finger, his heroic defensive carrying job earned him the award.

2006 Germany: Zinedine Zidane (France)

Zidane’s 2006 tournament was a masterclass in elegant midfield dominance, mixed with high-stakes drama. Having come out of international retirement, “Zizou” rolled back the years to eliminate powerhouse teams like Spain and Brazil in masterfully orchestrated knockout performances. He scored a penalty in the final against Italy, but his tournament famously ended with a red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi. Despite the chaotic exit, the media voted him the tournament’s best player before the final concluded.

2010 South Africa: Diego Forlán (Uruguay)

Uruguay shocked the world by reaching the semi-finals in 2010, and Diego Forlán was the architect of their run. While other players struggled to control the controversial “Jabulani” match ball, Forlán mastered it, scoring five spectacular goals—mostly long-range strikes and set-pieces. He finished as the joint-top scorer of the tournament and became the first player from a fourth-placed team to win the Golden Ball.

2014 Brazil: Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Lionel Messi won his first Golden Ball after leading Argentina to their first World Cup final since 1990. Messi carried La Albiceleste through the group stage, scoring four decisive goals, and remained the focal point of their attack through gruelling knockout matches against Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. While Argentina suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 extra-time defeat to Germany in the final, Messi was recognised as the tournament’s standout individual performer.

2018 Russia: Luka Modrić (Croatia)

Luka Modrić anchored one of the greatest underdog stories in modern football history as Croatia reached the 2018 final. The tireless midfielder covered more distance than almost any other player in the tournament, dictating tempo, breaking up plays, and scoring twice. Modrić captained his country through three consecutive extra-time knockout matches, earning universal acclaim and the Golden Ball despite a 4-2 defeat to France in the final.

2022 Qatar: Lionel Messi (Argentina)

In 2022, Lionel Messi made history by becoming the first and only player to win two FIFA World Cup Golden Balls. In what was a fairytale tournament, Messi scored seven goals and provided three assists. He scored in the round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final, and netted a brace in the spectacular final against France. This time, individual glory aligned with team success as Messi finally lifted the elusive World Cup trophy.

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