“France Football” has been awarding the title of the world’s best footballer since 1956, and on this day 34 years ago, the only Super Ballon d’Or was awarded to Alfredo Di Stefano. The first winner of the Ballon d’Or was English footballer Stanley Matthews, and until 1995, this award was exclusively given to European players.
The first recipient from outside the “old continent” was Liberian George Weah, and the record holder is Lionel Messi with eight awards.
On this day in 1989, Alfredo Di Stefano received the only Super Ballon d’Or awarded to the best of all winners until then for the 30th anniversary of “France Football” magazine.
That year, the other contenders for this award were Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini.
In the same year, Marco van Basten won his second of three Ballon d’Or awards.
The “Blonde Arrow,” as the legend of Real Madrid was nicknamed, had previously been named the world’s best footballer twice – in 1957 and 1959.
