The Super Ballon d'Or is one of the rarest and most prestigious individual awards in football history. Unlike the annual Ballon d'Or, which recognises the best player over a single year, the Super Ballon d'Or was created to honour the best footballer of the previous three decades. Remarkably, it has been awarded only once in football history.
What Is the Super Ballon d'Or?
The Super Ballon d'Or was a special award created by France Football in 1989. It was designed to recognise the greatest player across the preceding 30 years, making it considerably more exclusive than the traditional Ballon d'Or.
The award was contested by multiple-time Ballon d'Or winners, with the final decision involving three different voting groups: France Football's jury, former Ballon d'Or winners, and the magazine's readers and viewers.
Unlike the regular Ballon d'Or, however, the Super Ballon d'Or was not established as an annual award. It was a one-off honour, which is why its history is so short, and its winner so unique.
Who Won the Super Ballon d'Or?
The only player to win the Super Ballon d'Or is Alfredo Di Stéfano.
The legendary Real Madrid forward received the award on 24 December 1989, after being selected as the outstanding footballer of the previous three decades. He finished ahead of two other legendary figures, Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini.
Di Stéfano's victory was particularly fitting given his extraordinary influence on Real Madrid and European football. He was one of the central figures of the club's historic era in the 1950s and 1960s and had already won the regular Ballon d'Or twice, in 1957 and 1959.
Interestingly, the voting was not completely unanimous. The public vote actually favoured Michel Platini, who received 54.12% of the viewers' and readers' vote. However, Di Stéfano topped both the France Football jury and former Ballon d'Or winners' votes, ultimately securing the special prize.
Super Ballon d'Or Rankings
The final ranking for the historic 1989 award was:
1. Alfredo Di Stéfano
2. Johan Cruyff
3. Michel Platini
These three names underline just how extraordinary the award was. All were among the defining footballers of their generations, but Di Stéfano ultimately emerged as the player considered worthy of the unique honour.
Will the Super Ballon d'Or Be Awarded Again?
This is one of the biggest questions surrounding the award. As of now, Di Stéfano remains the only Super Ballon d'Or winner, with no second official edition having been held.
The absence of a regular schedule makes the award fundamentally different from the Ballon d'Or. It is therefore impossible to simply count Super Ballon d'Or trophies alongside annual Ballon d'Or victories.
A future edition could theoretically create another historic debate, particularly with modern legends such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo potentially entering the conversation. However, there has been no official second edition announced.
FAQs
1. Who has won the Super Ballon d'Or?
Alfredo Di Stéfano is the only player to have officially won the Super Ballon d'Or. He received the award in 1989.
2. How many Super Ballon d'Or awards have been given?
Only one Super Ballon d'Or has been officially awarded in football history.
3. Who finished behind Di Stéfano?
Johan Cruyff finished second, while Michel Platini finished third in the 1989 ranking.
4. Is the Super Ballon d'Or the same as the Ballon d'Or?
No. The Ballon d'Or is an annual individual award, while the Super Ballon d'Or was a special prize recognising the best player over the previous three decades.
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