The World Cup Golden Ball is awarded to the best player of each World Cup tournament, as voted for by a panel of football journalists and technical staff.

It’s one of the most prestigious individual honours in football, recognising the player who has had the greatest impact on the World Cup as a whole, not necessarily the player who scores the most, or whose team wins it, though that does help at times.

Since its introduction in 1978, the award has gone to some of the greatest players ever to grace the game. Here is every winner listed, along with what made their tournament so special.

13

1978 – Mario Kempes (Argentina)

Playing on home soil, Mario Kempes was the undisputed star of the 1978 World Cup. The Valencia striker finished as the tournament’s top scorer with six goals, including two in the final against the Netherlands, which Argentina won 3-1 after extra time.

Kempes was direct, powerful, and virtually unstoppable as he ran at defenders. His performances helped deliver Argentina their first-ever World Cup title, making him a national icon in the process. It was a golden summer for Kempes and for Argentine football, and few would have argued with his selection as the tournament’s standout player.

12

1982 – Paolo Rossi (Italy)

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Few World Cup stories are as remarkable as Paolo Rossi‘s in 1982. Having returned from a two-year ban for alleged match-fixing, Rossi was goalless in Italy’s opening matches before exploding into life in the knockout rounds. He scored a hat-trick against Brazil, both goals against Poland in the semi-final, and the opener in the final against West Germany.

Six goals in three games transformed him from a bit-part player to a tournament icon. Italy lifted the trophy, and Rossi also won the World Cup Golden Boot and the Ballon d’Or that year, completing a rare treble of individual honours.

11

1986 – Diego Maradona (Argentina)

The 1986 World Cup belonged to Diego Maradona in a way no tournament has belonged to any single player before or since. He was imperious throughout, dragging Argentina to the title almost single-handedly.

Against England in the quarter-final, he scored arguably the two most famous goals in football history within four minutes. The infamous Hand of God and the sublime solo run from inside his own half. He then tore Belgium apart in the semi-final before setting up the winning goal in the final against West Germany. The Golden Ball was a formality. This was Maradona at the absolute peak of his powers.

10

1990 — Salvatore Schillaci (Italy)

Nobody could have predicted that Salvatore Schillaci would be the breakout star of Italia ’90. The Juventus striker had only made his Italy debut three months before the tournament, but he burst onto the World Cup stage with infectious energy and a serious eye for goal.

He finished as the tournament’s top scorer, netting six goals in as many matches before they were eliminated by Argentina on penalties in the semi-final. Though Italy fell short, Schillaci’s Golden Ball and Golden Boot were thoroughly deserved.

9

1994 – Romario (Brazil)

Romario arrived at USA ’94 as one of the most feared strikers in world football, and he more than lived up to the billing. The Brazilian forward scored five goals as Brazil won their fourth World Cup title.

He was a constant menace to defenders, combining beautifully with Bebeto in a partnership that’s one of the most celebrated in World Cup history. Romario scored in each of his group stage matches, got an assist for Bebeto in the round of 16, and then scored once in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The Golden Ball recognised not just his goals, but his overall brilliance throughout the tournament.

8

1998 – Ronaldo (Brazil)

The circumstances surrounding Ronaldo‘s 1998 World Cup final appearance remain shrouded in mystery to this day, with Brazil’s talisman suffering a convulsive fit in the hours before the game and performing well below his best in a 3-0 defeat to France.

Yet his performances throughout the rest of the tournament had been sensational. O Fenomeno scored four goals and provided three assists. His Golden Ball was awarded on the strength of the tournament as a whole, rather than the final alone, and on that basis, few could argue that Ronaldo had been the most exciting attacker in the competition.

7

2002 – Oliver Kahn (Germany)

It could have easily been Ronaldo’s award for the second time in a row, but Oliver Kahn became the first and, to date, only goalkeeper to win the World Cup Golden Ball when Germany reached the final in South Korea and Japan.

The Bayern Munich shot-stopper was virtually unbeatable throughout the tournament, making a series of stunning saves that single-handedly kept Germany in matches they had little right to win. His performances against Paraguay and the United States in the knockout rounds were particularly outstanding, and he conceded only one goal en route to the final. It was there, whilst playing with torn ligaments in his finger, that a rare error gifted Ronaldo the opening goal in Brazil’s 2-0 victory, but his contribution to Germany’s run to the final meant the award’s direction didn’t change course.

6

2006 – Zinedine Zidane (France)

Zinedine Zidane came out of international retirement for the 2006 World Cup and reminded the world exactly why he was considered the finest player of his generation. He was majestic throughout, pulling the strings in midfield with elegance and authority as France reached the final.

It was there, where a cheeky Panenka against Gianluigi Buffon summed up his supreme confidence. However, the tournament ended in heartbreak and controversy when he was sent off in extra time for headbutting Marco Materazzi, and France subsequently lost on penalties. Zidane’s Golden Ball, awarded despite the red card, acknowledged a career-defining performance up to that shattering final moment, which closed the curtain on his days playing football.

5

2010 – Diego Forlan (Uruguay)

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Diego Forlan‘s performances at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa were a joy to behold. The Atletico Madrid striker carried Uruguay to the semi-finals, scoring five goals, three of which were sublime efforts.

Forlan’s mastery of the Adidas Jabulani, the heavily swerving and unpredictable ball that was used for the tournament, played a huge part. Forlan practiced for months with the ball that everyone was criticising ahead of the World Cup, and he turned it into a weapon he used to deadly effect. It was Forlan’s work ethic as much as his already existing ability, that allowed him to tame the notoriously unpredictable ball, with his hours of dedication on the training pitch translating directly into the stunning goals that earned him the Golden Ball.

4

2014 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Lionel Messi carried Argentina to the 2014 World Cup final on his shoulders, scoring four goals, providing one assist and a tournament-high, 23 key passes.

His performances in the group stage, particularly his winning goal against Iran, showcased his ability to conjure magic from nothing, something that BBC Sport commentator Jonathan Pierce foreshadowed as he said, “give it to him and pray,” a mere second before he whipped the ball into the top corner.

Unfortunately for Messi, Argentina were defeated in the final, leading to the bittersweet scenes of the dejected maestro reluctantly carrying his accolade rather than lofting the World Cup trophy.