Ballon d'Or Féminin: History & list of all winners

The Ballon d’Or Féminin was first awarded in 2018

France Football presents the Women’s Ballon d’Or, or Ballon d’Or Féminin (pronounced in French), an association football award that recognizes the player who was judged to have played the best during the previous season. The first laureate of the Ballon d’Or was Ada Hegerberg of Norway, who received the honour in 2018.

Only two players, French defender Wendie Renard and Australian striker Sam Kerr, received nominations for the award each year from its inception until 2023. Before suffering an ACL injury in January 2024, Sam Kerr was the only player to consistently rank in the top 7 and one of only 20 nominees annually.

The first and only player to take home the honour twice in a row was Barcelona skipper Alexia Putellas in 2021 and 2022.

In 2023, Mary Earps achieved fifth position, the greatest ranking ever for a goalie. Women shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or frequently cannot attend the event because it takes place during the women’s international break every year.

With an Olympic qualifying match in another country less than 24 hours before the ceremony, 2023 nominee Georgia Stanway voiced her disappointment at not being able to attend this “potentially once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”.

Stanway suggested improved planning with women in awareness so more female footballers could participate, and England the head coach Sarina Wiegman conveyed discontent that the players’ dedication would not be properly rewarded because of this scheduling clash with international duty.

In 2023, only seven out of thirty women were able to make the event because they had games the following day and missed training, but attended to accept the prize for best club team of 2023, which went to Barcelona.

But since then there has been changed scheduling and many Women’s footballers are able to attend the ceremony. Now we take a look at the winners of Ballon d’Or.

List of winners of Ballon d’Or Féminin

Year	Winner
2018	Ada Hegerberg
2019	Megan Rapinoe
2020	(Not awarded)
2021	Alexia Putellas
2022	Alexia Putellas
2023	Aitana Bonmatí
2024	Aitana Bonmatí

Aitana, it's all yours!#ballondor pic.twitter.com/BT2PzX2I3x

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 28, 2024

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