Six Bundesliga players account for nine Ballon d’Or wins between 1970 and 1996

Bundesliga players are among the contenders for the Ballon d’Or, which will be presented for the 70th time in the history of football this year, with a single winner to be chosen from a 30-player shortlist.

Considered one of the most prestigious individual awards in the history of football, the Ballon d’Or is presented to a player who has been consistent throughout the season for both club and country. The award’s evaluation includes top performances, scoring goals and winning trophies. The Bundesliga has produced several legendary footballers who captured the Ballon d’Or during their careers.

Gerd Müller became the first Bundesliga player to win the Ballon d’Or when he clinched the award in 1970. He was representing Bayern Munich at the time. Müller’s 1970 victory forms part of the total nine Ballon d’Ors earned by players based in the Bundesliga between 1970 and 1996.

Franz Beckenbauer and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge are cited among the Bayern Munich icons who won the Ballon d’Or while playing in the Bundesliga. Matthias Sammer is named among the winners for Borussia Dortmund. In all, six players won the men’s Ballon d’Or while affiliated with Bundesliga clubs, producing nine awards across the 1970–1996 span.

Ousmane Dembele won the Ballon d’Or in 2025 and is again nominated this year following his triumph with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League and Ligue 1. This season’s voting list also includes Harry Kane of Bayern Munich, who is identified as one of the favourites. The Ballon d’Or shortlist comprises 30 players from which one recipient will lift the Golden Ball.

One player will be awarded the Ballon d’Or from that 30-man shortlist when the trophy is presented for the 70th time this year.