The Ballon d’Or Feminin is the biggest prize in women's football.
This is, of course, a team game, but every year, the biggest names in football get together to celebrate those individuals who have stood out from the pack in the previous season with the Ballon d’Or awards.
It was first started by France Football and has crowned the best men’s player for each year since 1956, before in 2018 they opened up the Ballon d’Or Feminin to recognise the best women’s players following the rise of the game. Here’s the full list of Ballon d’Or Feminin winners since its inception…
Ballon d’Or Feminin: Every winner of the award
2018: Ada Hegerberg, Lyon
Scooping up the inaugural award was Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg. The Norwegian forward spearheaded the French outfit to a Premiere Ligue and Champions League double, scoring in the final of the latter.
Sadly, her award was somewhat overshadowed by DJ Martin Solveig, presenting the trophy, who asked the striker whether she could twerk. Creating an equally prestigious award for women’s football in the Ballon d’Or Feminin was a big step forward, but Solveig showed there was still plenty of work to be done.
The top three in 2018:
- Ada Hegerberg (Lyon and Norway)
- Pernille Harder (Wolfsburg and Denmark)
- Dzsenifer Marozsan (Lyon and Germany
2019: Megan Rapinoe, Reign FC
The second player to receive the award was winger Megan Rapinoe, who was turning out for National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Reign FC (then OL Reign).
It was, however, her performances for her US national side that were likely the clincher. Co-captaining the side at that year’s World Cup, she was joint-top scorer in the tournament with six goals, helping lead USWNT to the ultimate prize in the international game.
The top three in 2019:
- Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC and United States)
- Lucy Bronze (Lyon and England)
- Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride and United States)
2021: Alexia Putellas, Barcelona
With no award held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the next winner came two years later in Alexia Putellas, ushering in four years of Barcelona-inspired dominance in the BDO Feminin.
She captained the Spanish side to their first Champions League triumph, scoring in the 4-0 downing of Chelsea in the final, and ended the season on a mind-boggling 26 goals, the most of any midfielder in Europe that season.
“I’m sure I won’t be the last Barcelona player to win the prize,” she said, receiving the honour. She may have been onto something.
The top three in 2021:
- Alexia Putellas (Barcelona and Spain)
- Jenni Hermoso (Barcelona and Spain)
- Sam Kerr (Chelsea and Australia)
2022: Alexia Putellas, Barcelona
Putellas made sure she wasn’t the last Barcelona star to win the award by getting the job done herself again just 12 months later, becoming the first woman to receive the honour twice.
Despite losing the Champions League final to Lyon that season, and missing the Euros through injury, her role in Barca’s league title – winning all 30 league games, with Putella scoring 18 goals – along with Spanish Cup and Super Cup triumphs were deemed enough for her to hold on to the trophy for another year.
The top three in 2022:
- Alexia Putellas (Barcelona and Spain)
- Beth Mead (Arsenal and England)
- Sam Kerr (Chelsea and Australia)
2023: Aitana Bonmati, Barcelona
It was time for a new winner, but the judges didn’t need to look far, with Putella’s team-mate Aitana Bonmati being crowned in 2023.
A productive year saw the then-25-year-old midfielder achieve glory in Liga F and the Champions League with Barcelona, before memorably lifting the World Cup that summer with Spain — a potentially sore recollection for those on English shores.
The top three in 2023:
- Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona and Spain)
- Sam Kerr (Chelsea and Australia)
- Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona and Spain)
2024: Aitana Bonmati, Barcelona
Following in her team-mate and compatriot’s footsteps, Bonmati became the second-ever player to lift the BDO Feminin at this year’s ceremony.
The midfielder completed a clean sweep of silverware with the Catalan club – Liga F, Champions League, Supercopa and Copa de la Reina – notching 19 goals for herself from midfield.
As if that weren’t enough, she also led her national team, Spain, to glory in the first-ever Women’s Nations League title, scoring four, including one against France in the final.
The top three in 2024:
- Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona and Spain)
- Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona and Norway)
- Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona and Spain)
