Lamine Yamal could make history as the youngest Ballon d'Or winner ever if he secures the award at the 70th annual gala on Monday, 26 October 2026.
Fresh off a 2026 World Cup victory with Spain at just 19 years old, the Barcelona prodigy enters the London Palladium ceremony as one of the strict frontrunners alongside Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe.
Should he triumph, the teenager would break a record that has stood for nearly three decades.
Striver.Football profiles how the top 10 youngest Ballon d'Or winners in history rank in descending order, leading up to the historic benchmark Yamal is chasing.
10. Allan Simonsen (1977) - 25 years, 335 days
The nimble Danish winger etched his name in European football lore during Borussia Monchengladbach’s glory years.
Simonsen’s standout 1976-77 campaign saw him spearhead Gladbach to the Bundesliga title and reach the European Cup final, where he scored a stunning long-range equaliser against Liverpool.
His electrifying pace, technical flair, and clutch scoring saw him narrowly edge out Kevin Keegan and Michel Platini to capture the 1977 Ballon d'Or.
9. Johan Cruyff (1971) - 24 years, 215 days
The architect of "Total Football" claimed the first of his three Ballon d'Or awards in 1971 after a majestic season with Ajax.
Orchestrating games with unparalleled vision and elegance, Cruyff led Ajax to a European Cup triumph over Panathinaikos, scoring 27 goals across all competitions.
His victory in 1971 marked the arrival of a generational genius who would reshape modern football forever.
8. Marco van Basten (1988) - 24 years, 27 days
1988 was the year Marco van Basten confirmed his status as the world's most complete centre-forward.
Returning from a severe ankle injury, the Dutch striker enjoyed a phenomenal year, culminating in Euro 1988 glory with the Netherlands, highlighted by his iconic, angle-defying volley against the Soviet Union in the final.
Coupled with a Scudetto title in his debut season with AC Milan, Van Basten claimed the first of his three Golden Balls.
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7. Eusebio (1965) - 23 years, 338 days
Known as the "Black Panther," Eusebio was an unstoppable force of nature for Benfica during the mid-1960s.
In 1965, his devastating mix of speed, explosive power, and lethal finishing saw him score 48 goals across all competitions, guiding Benfica to another Portuguese title and the European Cup final. Eusebio became the first Portuguese player to win the award, cementing his legendary status.
6. Cristiano Ronaldo (2008) - 23 years, 272 days
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2007-08 season with Manchester United remains one of the greatest individual campaigns in Premier League history.
Plaguing defenders with sheer athleticism and relentless scoring, Ronaldo netted 42 goals in all competitions, firing United to a Premier League and UEFA Champions League double.
His crowning moment in Moscow against Chelsea clinched his very first Ballon d'Or, launching an unprecedented era of individual rivalry.
5. Oleg Blokhin (1975) - 23 years, 55 days
The Ukrainian speedster stunned European football in 1975 by leading Dynamo Kyiv to European Cup Winners' Cup glory and defeating Bayern Munich in the UEFA Super Cup.
Blokhin’s incredible acceleration and clinical precision earned him widespread acclaim, beating out icons like Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer for the 1977 award to become Soviet football’s premier icon.
4. George Best (1968) - 22 years, 212 days
"El Beatle" captured the imagination of football fans worldwide with his mesmerizing dribbling and flamboyant style.
In 1968, a 22-year-old Best played a pivotal role in Manchester United becoming the first English club to lift the European Cup, scoring a memorable extra-time goal against Benfica in the Wembley final.
His exploits earned him the European Footballer of the Year award during the peak of his enchanting career.
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3. Lionel Messi (2009) - 22 years, 160 days
In Pep Guardiola’s historic 2008-09 Barcelona side, a 22-year-old Lionel Messi was nothing short of transcendent.
Scoring 38 goals across all competitions—including an iconic looping header in the Champions League final against Manchester United—Messi led Barca to a historic Treble.
It marked the start of his record eight Ballon d'Or trophies and firmly announced his era of global domination.
2. Michael Owen (2001) - 22 years, 4 days
At just 22 years old, Michael Owen took European football by storm during Liverpool’s famous 2000–01 "Cup Treble" season.
Owen’s blistering pace and predatory instincts produced unforgettable moments, including a dramatic late double in the FA Cup final against Arsenal and key goals in UEFA Cup matches. He became the first Englishman to win the trophy since Kevin Keegan in 1979.
1. Ronaldo Nazario (1997) - 21 years, 92 days
O Fenomeno sits alone at the top of this list as the youngest winner in history. During his lone season at Barcelona (1996-97), Ronaldo delivered an astonishing campaign, scoring 47 goals in 49 games while executing solo runs that defied belief.
Winning both the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or at 21, Ronaldo set a record for youth and brilliance that has stood untouched for nearly 30 years.
Final Thoughts
No teenager has ever claimed football's ultimate individual prize. If the voting journalists side with Yamal's double success of a La Liga title and a World Cup trophy, he will bypass Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario by more than a year and a half to rewrite the history books permanently.
