The ultimate objective at any World Cup tournament is to lift the trophy alongside your teammates for soccer’s ultimate prize.
But there are plenty of individual awards to also strive for – including the Golden Ball Award.
The Golden Ball Award was officially introduced at the 1982 World Cup for the very first time, awarded to the tournament’s best overall player.
As the tournament officially expanded – 48 teams and 106 total matches – the competition level is at an all-time high, making the quest for a World Cup Trophy and finding the tournament’s top talent more intense than ever. Here’s a list of every Golden Ball winner.
1982: Paolo Rossi (Italy)
(photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images)
On top of Italy’s third World Cup win, young phenom forward Paolo Rossi was awarded the first ever official Golden Ball award. Rossi appeared in seven games for the Italians, scored three goals and added two assists as they defeated West Germany in the final game.
1986: Diego Maradona (Argentina)
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Clinching Argentina’s second World Cup win, midfielder Diego Maradona became 1986’s Golden Ball award winner following their 3-2 win over West Germany. In their run to a tournament in Mexico, Maradona contributed five goals and five assists in seven games – including the infamous “Hand of God” goal and the remarkable “Greatest Goal of the 21st Century” in the quarterfinal win against England.
1990: Salvatore Schillaci (Italy)
photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images).
Italian forward Salvatore Schicalli made history as the first Golden Ball winner to not hoist the World Cup trophy. While Italy settled for third place and West Germany claimed their second title, Schicalli contributed six goals and one assist through their tournament run.
1994: Romário (Brazil)
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The 1994 World Cup win was a memorable one for the Brazilians, as the South American team won its fourth World Cup title. At USA ’94, it was 28-year-old forward Romario who clinched the Golden Ball after Brazil outlasted Italy in penalty shootouts 3-2.
1998: Ronaldo (Brazil)
(photo by Mark Leech/ Getty Images)
With back-to-back final appearances and Golden Ball winners, Brazil’s Ronaldo was awarded the 1998 Golden Ball. Despite the Brazilians falling to France in what became their first ever World Cup win, the 21-year-old forward recorded four goals and three assists for Brazil. Ronaldo also reigns as the award’s youngest winner.
2002: Oliver Kahn (Germany)
(Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Becoming the first, and so far the only, goalkeeper to win the award, Germany’s Oliver Kahn was named the 2002 Golden Ball winner. Brazil claimed their fifth title over Germany, winning 2-0. Kahn’s tournament performance leading up to their championship appearance caught the eyes of many, where he recorded five shutouts and allowed just three goals.
2006: Zinedine Zidane (France)
(Photo by JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images)
France found their way back to the World Cup final game after missing it in 2002, but fell short to Italy 5-3 in penalty shootouts. Still, 33-year-old midfielder Zinedine Zidane claimed the Golden Ball. Through his six appearances, Zidane contributed one assist and three goals. Of course, his lasting image will be him getting sent off for headbutting Italy’s Marco Materrazzi in the final.
2010: Diego Forlán (Uruguay)
(Photo by Paul Gilham – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Even if Uruguay barely missed the podium, 31-year-old forward Diego Forlán earned Uruguay their first Golden Ball winner. Forlán led Uruguay to a fourth-place finish and added five goals and one assist.
2014: Lionel Messi (Argentina)
(Photo by Pedro UGARTE / AFP via Getty Images)
Lionel Messi’s first appearance in a World Cup final during the tournament in Brazil earned him his first Golden Ball award win, despite Argentina’s loss to Germany. Messi earned the honor with his four goals and one assist through their tournament run.
2018: Luka Modrić (Croatia)
(Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
In a year when midfielder Luka Modrić was widely regarded as the world’s best midfielder, Modrić took home his first – and Croatia’s first – Golden Ball award. His athleticism and midfield acumen carried Croatia to the team’s first ever final appearance, where it lost to France, 4-2. Modrić contributed two goals and one assist through their seven games in Russia.
2022: Lionel Messi (Argentina)
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Arguably one of the best World Cup finals we’ve seen, Messi made history in Qatar as the only player to win the Golden Ball award multiple times. In Argentina’s historic run at the tournament, Messi recorded seven goals and three assists, the most goals by any award winner.
