Since its creation in 1956, the Ballon d'Or has become the pinnacle of individual honours in football. It has seen the names of many legendary players engraved in its metal. From Lionel Messi and his eight trophies to Stanley Matthews, the first ever winner of the trophy, everyone has earned the right to win it.

Yet rarely have the debates surrounding the future Ballon d'Or been as intense as they are at the moment. While La Pulga and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the competition head and shoulders over the last 15 years, no player now seems truly capable of succeeding them over the long term, although Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal will fancy his chances of being the next big thing.

After seeing Harry Kane crowned as the winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or, the 2027 award will be another closely-fought contest, and the likes of Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland among others will be hoping to take home the prize for the first time. If one of them do, then they will enter the history books as being one of the youngest to ever claim football's biggest individual prize. So, with that in mind, below is a look at the 15 youngest winners in Ballon d'Or history.

15 Luis Suarez: 1960

Age: 25 years, 7 months, 11 days

Not the Luis Suarez perhaps most football fans are familiar with from the current era, but the Spanish born midfielder born in 1935 was one of the greatest of his generation. Turning out for the likes of Barcelona and Inter, Suarez's claim to fame came in 1960 when he pipped the likes of Ferenc Puskas, Alfredo di Stefano and Bobby Charlton among others to capture the Ballon d'Or award for the very first time in his career aged just 25.

He would then go on to finish second in the voting the following year and then once again in 1964, before finishing third in 1965. While Suarez's name may not be as recognisable as some of the others on this list, there is no denying that he holds a significant place in history for his achievements with the likes of Barcelona and Spain.

14 Kaka:

Age: 25 years, 7 months, 10 days

In terms of the modern-day, Kaka's unique blend of technique, skill and elegance made him one of the game's best players to watch during his prime years at Milan.

The Brazilian had an exquisite first touch, and while he may not have been explosive in terms of his speed or supremely quick, he had enough pace about him. Indeed, it was more of his body feints and ability to manipulate the ball when travelling with it that made him almost impossible to stop when in full flight.

13 Ruud Gullit:

Age: 25 years, 3 months, 28 days

A powerhouse midfielder, Ruud Gullit may best be known by English football fans for his time at Chelsea, but his performances in the years before that, particularly at Ajax and Milan, underlined his world-class status.

Gullit had absolutely everything you could want from a midfield player, able to break up the play, charge forward and also finish off attacks when needed. His versatility and ability to genuinely play as a box-to-box midfielder made him invaluable, while he of course had the natural Dutch technique added to his game too.

12 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Age: 25 years, 3 months, 5 days

One of the greatest German footballers of all-time, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's greatness is seen by the fact he would win back-to-back Ballon d'Ors in 1980 and then again in 1981.

His 1979/1980 Ballon d'Or winning season saw him bag 36 goals in 47 games across all competitions for Bayern Munich, win the Bundesliga title, and then help lift the European Championships with West Germany. It was the kind of complete campaign that made it almost impossible to ignore him for the highest individual award in football.

11 Gerd Muller:

Age: 25 years, 1 month, 26 days

One of the greatest goal-scorers the game has ever seen, Gerd Muller's Ballon d'Or winning campaign in 1970 was something to behold. His performances at club and international level were exemplary to say the least, including striking an astonishing 38 times in just 33 games for Bayern Munich. He would then go on to win the Golden Boot at the 1970 World Cup, scoring ten goals in the process for West Germany. Muller's achievement of winning the Ballon d'Or that year made him the first German to do so in history.

10 Allan Simonsen: 1977

Age: 25 years, 0 months, 12 days

Allan Simonsen would win the Ballon d'Or in 1977 after a stunning season with Borussia Monchengladbach, and became the first Danish player to ever win football's biggest individual prize.

Simonsen would win the Bundesliga during the 1976/1977 season, while his Monchengladbach side would also finish as runners-up in the European Cup. Though his team lost in the final, the Dane did strike a particularly superb goal to equalise in the match. Simonsen's Ballon d'Or victory came ahead of the likes of Michel Platini and Kevin Keegan as some of his contemporary rivals.

9 Johan Cruyff: 1971

Age: 24 years, 8 months, 3 days

In itself, today's portrait of Johan Cruyff's legacy is enough to make you realise what a genius he was. The orchestrator of the ‘total football’ introduced by Rinus Michels' Ajax in the early 1970s, the man nicknamed the "Flying Dutchman" is still considered one of the greatest players of all time.

A generational talent who won three Ballon d'Or awards (he was the first to achieve such a feat), including his first in 1971, at the age of 24 years, eight months and three days. The pinnacle of a season in which he made a major contribution to the first European title in Godenzonen's history.

8 Marco van Basten: 1988

Age: 24 years, 1 month and 27 days

Marco van Basten would never have predicted at the start of 1988 that he would end the year as the best player in the world. After suffering a serious ankle injury in October 1987, the Dutch centre-forward was not back on the pitch until the following March.

Even though he was selected to take part in the European Championship, it was on the bench that he began the competition. But his time came quickly.

Starting in the second match, he scored a hat-trick against England. In the semi-final, it was against Germany that he shone, scoring a goal and providing an assist. It was a masterpiece that was completed in the final, with a volley that is now the stuff of legend. After winning the European Championship, he returned to AC Milan, shone and was finally rewarded in December, winning the Ballon d'Or for the first time in his career. Two more would follow.

7 Eusebio: 1965

Age: 23 years, 11 months and 3 days

Preceded by Josef Masopust by just a few votes in 1962, Eusebio finally won the Ballon d'Or in 1965. The first Portuguese player to win the precious trophy, the native of Maputo, Mozambique, was coming off an exceptional season. While Benfica retained their Portuguese league title, the ‘Black Panther’ was top scorer (28 goals).

In the European Champion Clubs' Cup, too, the striker was on fire. He scored nine goals in nine games to guide his side to the final, before finally falling to holders Inter Milan. At the age of 23 years, 11 months and three days, the first true star of Lusitanian football was on top of the world, and could now admire the horizon and the looming silhouette of another local legend.

6 Cristiano Ronaldo: 2008

Age: 23 years, 9 months and 27 days

Like his predecessor, Ronaldo is a player who has reached for the stars. Powerful, fast and an unparalleled goalscorer, the now five-time Ballon d'Or winner has all the traits of his predecessor. A ruthless player who gave his opponents nightmares. In 2008, the year of his first Ballon d'Or, CR7 swept all before him.

Scoring 42 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions, he won the European Golden Shoe as well as the Golden Boot 2007/08. Named best player in the Premier League, he led Manchester United to a league and cup double, and was also named best player in the Champions League. ‘I'm the first, second and third best player in the world’, as he himself declared before the ceremony, in a mixture of confidence and provocation, but also, ultimately, lucidity.