With Messi about to be awarded his fifth Ballon d’Or, we look back at the previous Barça players who won this award.
Luis Suárez was the first Barça player, and the only Spanish player, to ever win this award back in 1960. Luis Suárez guided his team to the Spanish League title and the UEFA Fairs Cup (now known as the Europa League) double in 1960. He received more votes than Real Madrid’s Ferenc Puskás and Alfredo Di Stéfano who finished second and fourth respectively. The size of the award was noticeably much smaller back then compared to today’s version.
The next Barça player to win the award was the Dutch legend Johan Cruyff back in 1973. He had transferred to Blaugrana during the summer from Ajax after winning a Dutch league title and European Cup with Ajax so this award was more for his success with Ajax. However, he would win this award again after completing his first season, the 1973-1974 season, as a Barça player that saw the Blaugrana end a 14 year wait for a league trophy. This was his third and final Ballon d’Or after winning his first one in 1971.
Cruyff would be the Barça manager when the next Barça player would win the Ballon d’Or. In 1994, the Bulgarian striker Hristo Stoichkov became the third ever Blaugrana player to win this award over the likes of Roberto Baggio, and Paolo Maldini who finished second and third respectively. Stoichkov helped guide Barça to the 1993-1994 league title, the 1994 Champions League Final along with guiding his country to the 1994 World Cup Semi-Finals.
Three years later, Brazilian legend Ronaldo would win the 1997 Ballon d’Or following his successful 1996-1997 Barça season that saw him score 47 goals while helping his side win the Supercopa, Copa del Rey and the UEFA Cup. He would leave the club in the summer to join Inter Milan and receive the award a few months later. The same chain of events would take place in 2000 when Luis Figo was awarded the Golden Ball for his performances for Barça and Portugal and Real Madrid. Hence, why he received this award as a Madrid player.
Before the Figo betrayal, another Brazilian player would win the Ballon d’Or. In 1999, Rivaldo won this award following his superb 1998-1999 season for Barça and Brazil. Barça won the Spanish league title and Brazil won Copa America due in large to his performances. He was voted Copa America’s player of the tournament and a few months later, was awarded the Ballon d’Or.
Another Brazilian player would win the Ballon d’Or as a Barça player when Ronaldinho would win this award in 2005. He was also the third ever Brazilian player to win this award for his performances during the 204-2005 season that saw Barça end a six year wait to win a league title. He also helped Brazil win the 2005 Confederations Cup and received the Bronze Ball award as third best player in the tournament. His contribution in bringing the Blaugrana to prominence could never be forgetten and this award is a reminder of the magic and hope he brought to the club.
Thus, Suárez, Cruyff, Stoichkov, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho were the five Barça players to win and receive the Ballon d’Or as Barça players. Messi would become the sixth Barça player to win this award and the last to win this award in 2009 before it was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2010. Messi will be receiving his fifth Ballon d’Or today. No other player has ever won more than three. Barça fans have been blessed to have a player of his magnitude and the team’s success has seen Messi win this award in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Messi and fellow finalist Neymar seem likely to contend for this award in the near future. Team success however will be influential in whether or not these players will win it again. This year’s award is a “Job Well Done” reward for a superb 2014-2015 for Barça. Here’s to hopefully many more successful seasons.
