Sports
Turkish sport rides glorious 2025 despite TFF betting scandal dent
From historic individual breakthroughs to title-winning runs at home and abroad and from global milestones to scandals that shook the foundations of football, Turkish sport packed 2025 with defining moments that revealed both its rising power and its deepest vulnerabilities.
The year unfolded as a study in contrast. Athletes delivered world titles, Olympic-level performances and long-awaited breakthroughs, while administrators and federations grappled with credibility crises that spilled far beyond the field of play, culminating in a reckoning for Turkish football’s governance.
January set the tone with milestones and controversy arriving side by side.
NBA center Alperen Şengün became only the second Turkish player after Mehmet Okur to be selected for an NBA All-Star Game, earning coaches’ votes after emerging as the cornerstone of the Houston Rockets with averages of 19.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and five assists.
His selection marked a coming-of-age moment for Turkish basketball on the global stage.
Football, however, entered turbulent waters early.
Amid mounting criticism over officiating standards and perceived inconsistency, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced it would deploy foreign VAR referees for the Süper Lig’s second half, a temporary fix that signaled eroding trust in domestic systems and foreshadowed deeper problems to come.
February delivered momentum across disciplines, particularly for para sports.
Archer Öznur Cüre Girdi and coach Yusuf Göktuğ Ergin received World Archery honors, while the Women’s National Goalball Team and para swimmer Umut Ünlü were named Europe’s best by the European Paralympic Committee.
Domestic football drama escalated when Adana Demirspor walked off the pitch during a match at Galatasaray, igniting disciplinary proceedings and fierce debate over governance, fairness and accountability.
The incident intensified scrutiny of the federation at a time when confidence in match integrity was already fragile.
Basketball provided balance. The women’s national team completed EuroBasket qualifiers unbeaten and Fenerbahçe Beko lifted the Turkish Cup with a commanding victory over Beşiktaş.
March became a medal rush.
At the European Airgun Championships, Türkiye topped the table with eight medals, led by Şevval Ilayda Tarhan, who became the first Turkish woman to win five medals at a single European event.
Turkish women wrestlers claimed three golds at the U-23 European Championships, while boxer Busenaz Sürmeneli captured another world title as Türkiye finished the Women’s World Boxing Championships with six medals.
Administrative change followed, with Ahmet Gülüm elected president of the Turkish National Olympic Committee, signaling renewal at a time when governance would soon dominate headlines elsewhere.
April belonged to club dominance.
Ziraat Bankkart completed a rare double by winning both the Efeler Ligi and the CEV Cup.
VakıfBank reclaimed the Sultanlar Ligi crown and Fenerbahçe Opet swept the Women’s Basketball League playoffs.
Internationally, Greco-Roman wrestler Kerem Kamal and a trio of Turkish weightlifters delivered European golds, reinforcing Türkiye’s strength in Olympic disciplines.
May brought silverware on every front.
Fenerbahçe Beko captured the EuroLeague title with a final victory over Monaco, while Galatasaray completed a domestic double by lifting both the Süper Lig and Turkish Cup.
Individual brilliance followed, with gymnast Adem Asil winning two European golds and teenage weightlifter Fatmagül Çevik claiming junior world gold.
June closed the first half with strong finishes.
The National Women’s Basketball Team secured its place in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, while Alves Kablo underlined Türkiye’s dominance in amputee football by winning the Champions League final in emphatic fashion.
Summer of extremes
The summer months amplified the contrasts.
June opened with Alves Kablo’s 6-1 demolition of Wisla Krakow in the Amputee Football Champions League final.
The men’s national football team split results on its U.S. tour, while Fenerbahçe confirmed Acun Ilıcalı’s departure from the board.
In basketball, the women’s national team finished seventh at EuroBasket, earning a World Cup qualifying spot after a demanding campaign.
Tradition took center stage when Cutha, ridden by Ahmet Çelik, won the 99th Gazi Race.
July delivered history.
Zeynep Sönmez became the first Turkish player in 75 years to reach the third round of a Grand Slam singles draw, rewriting national tennis history at Wimbledon.
Swimmer Kuzey Tunçelli claimed his third straight European junior 1500m freestyle title, while Orhan Okulu secured his third Kırkpınar oil wrestling crown.
Off the pitch, Galatasaray shattered transfer records by signing Victor Osimhen from Napoli for 75 million euros ($88 million), the most expensive move in Turkish football history, a deal that symbolized ambition even as institutional confidence wavered.
August turned volatile.
Jose Mourinho departed Fenerbahçe after one season, Beşiktaş welcomed back Sergen Yalçın and European qualifiers delivered both dramatic comebacks and painful exits.
The month was also marked by loss, with legendary broadcaster Ümit Aktan dying at 76.
Autumn reckoning
September belonged to national teams.
The men’s basketball team surged to EuroBasket silver, while the women’s volleyball team reached a World Championship final for the first time, claiming historic silver after a narrow loss to Italy.
Para swimmer Defne Kurt stunned the world with five gold medals at the World Para Swimming Championships and teenage chess player Ediz Gürel shocked reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju.
October became the year’s most defining month.
Motorcycle star Toprak Razgatlıoğlu clinched his third World Superbike title, confirming his status as one of Türkiye’s greatest-ever athletes.
Fenerbahçe Medicana won the Women’s Champions Cup, becoming the competition’s most successful club.
Scandalous TFF
Yet football faced its deepest crisis. The TFF disclosed that 371 of 571 referees assigned to professional leagues held betting accounts, with 152 found to be actively wagering.
The revelation by the TFF President Ibrahim Hacıosmanoğlu triggered mass disciplinary action, led to suspensions across lower divisions and shattered public trust.
The fallout widened when more than 1,000 players were referred to disciplinary boards, forcing clubs, fans and sponsors to confront the scale of the integrity breach.
What began months earlier as officiating disputes and VAR controversies had now evolved into a full-blown institutional scandal, exposing systemic failures in oversight and enforcement.
November offered rare on-field relief amid the turbulence.
The men’s national football team moved a step closer to ending a 24-year World Cup absence by defeating Bulgaria 2-0 in Bursa, clinching at least second place in Group E and guaranteeing a spot in UEFA’s 2026 World Cup playoffs.
Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s first-half penalty set the tone before a late own goal sealed a controlled performance in front of more than 42,000 fans.
The victory lifted Türkiye to 12 points from five matches and secured their place in the European playoff system, where Montella’s side entered as a top-seeded team, positioned for a home semifinal in March 2026.
While direct qualification remained unlikely due to goal difference, the result restored belief at a moment when confidence in Turkish football had been badly shaken off the pitch.
Narcotics shocker
The year almost closed with another shock.
Fenerbahçe President Sadettin Saran came under intensified legal scrutiny after prosecutors confirmed a hair sample tested positive for cocaine during an ongoing narcotics investigation.
While blood, urine and nail samples were negative, the forensic findings escalated pressure on one of Turkish sport’s most powerful figures despite him dismissing the allegations as a smear campaign.
Saran was released under judicial supervision, with the investigation ongoing and no final ruling announced.
However, December was not all doom and gloom, with flashes of promise and pride patching the dents.
Fourteen-year-old chess prodigy Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş announced himself on the world stage by finishing a remarkable 15th at the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship in Doha, producing a performance rating of 2728 and earning rare praise from Magnus Carlsen, who called him “the best 14-year-old the world has ever seen.”
Strength athlete Burak Yazgı added another global milestone by reclaiming the Guinness World Record for the heaviest single-repetition Turkish Get-Up, lifting 116.8 kilograms to restore a title he has now held twice and underline Türkiye’s growing presence beyond traditional sporting arenas.
Islam Makhachev successfully defended his UFC welterweight title Saturday, beating Ireland’s Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia while setting a UFC record.
With the victory, Russia’s Makhachev etched his name alone in the UFC record books, extending his winning streak to 17 consecutive fights and surpassing UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva’s historic 16-fight mark set from 2006-13.
Makhachev dictated the tempo throughout the 25-minute championship tilt, neutralizing the challenger with suffocating top control and chain wrestling while mixing in dynamic striking, including a damaging second-round head kick.
Garry, bidding to become only the second undisputed UFC champion hailing from Ireland, stayed diligent in defensive scrambles on the mat to survive danger, but could not mount enough offense to sway the judges’ scorecards.
“I believed in my heart and soul I was better than him tonight, and he won,” Machado Garry Garry said inside the Octagon following the decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47).
“No complaints, no excuses. I’m 28, I have a decade of domination already. This man won tonight,” he added.
“He gave me a hard time, but I still prove it every fight,” Makhachev said of grinding out the victory against the challenger in the championship rounds.
He took his share of head kicks in his first title defense, notably in the third round that did most of the cosmetic damage, yet bested a record set by Silva that had stood for 13 years.
“If he keeps going like he says he’s going to keep going, it might never be beaten,” UFC CEO Dana White said.
The 34-year-old Makhachev nearly ended the fight in the second when he threw his left foot and caught Machado Garry flush with a headkick that dropped the challenger to his rear end.
Makhachev pounced with a series of punches that had the sellout crowd of 19,238 fans roaring in anticipation of a quick finish, only for Machado Garry – serenaded throughout with obscenity-laced chants – to hold on and finish the round.
Machado Garry (17-2) won the third round on all three scorecards and rallied in the fifth round with seven significant strikes landed to none for Makhachev.
Yet it wasn’t enough to topple one of UFC’s great fighters.
Makhachev – who held the lightweight championship and has seven total wins in title fights – continues to dominate no matter the weight class.
A dominant Bangladesh stunned Australia to win the opening Test by a crushing nine wickets in Darwin on Sunday for a historic first-ever Test victory on Australian soil.
After bowling Australia out for 284 and needing 57 to win, the visitors cruised past the total when Mominul Haque slashed Beau Webster to the backward point boundary.
Unfancied Bangladesh dominated a full-strength Australia throughout and the margin of victory will send shock waves through the cricketing world.
“This is the biggest win so far for Bangladesh in any format,” captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said.
“Going forward, we want to do something special in the future,” he said.
“I’m very happy, proud of myself and the way the boys played. We did a lot of hard work.”
After bowling Australia out for 198 in the first innings, the visitors always looked the more likely to win.
They kept the pressure on throughout Sunday and didn’t panic when Cameron Green (104) brought up his third Test century after lunch on day four.
Green was offered no real support from his teammates and the Bangladeshis kept taking vital scalps to leave Australia on the ropes, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz taking 5-66.
Najmul said the shock win was the result of Bangladesh players, especially the fast bowlers, putting more emphasis on red-ball cricket.
“Five years ago pacers didn’t want to play Tests, but we’ve been playing lots of Test cricket and they are giving importance to the Test format,” he said.
“They want to play, want to perform, want to be world-class. That is the mindset they now have.”
Australia captain Pat Cummins was full of praise for their opponents, admitting Bangladesh were better in every aspect.
It was Bangladesh’s first Test win in Australia, at the third attempt.
“They outplayed us in all facets, they were patient and disciplined,” said Cummins.
“I thought our prep was spot-on, no excuses.”
“They played well. We had to find a way to bat longer and then we couldn’t penetrate with the ball.”
Aussies out of answers
The visitors went into the match with most observers giving them no chance of winning.
Their only warm-up game, against a Cricket Australia XI, ended in a big loss that included a second-innings collapse where they were all out for 54.
But they completely outplayed the Australians and won every session, batting, bowling and catching better than their more illustrious counterparts.
Australia, fielding their best possible team, looked out of sorts from the beginning.
Their batting failed in the first innings when they were bowled out on the opening day, then their much-vaunted bowling attack struggled against the gritty Bangladesh batsmen.
Led by a maiden Test century from opener Tanzid Hasan, Bangladesh made 426 and kept Australia in the field for 138 overs in Darwin’s heat and humidity.
The bowlers then showed great patience Saturday to make regular breakthroughs and keep Australia under the cosh.
When Australia resumed Sunday on 161-4, their hopes lay with Alex Carey and Green.
Carey lived dangerously in the opening 30 minutes, twice edging seamer Hasan Mahmud through the vacant slips cordon for boundaries.
But on 30 off-spinner Mehidy produced a beautiful ball, pitching in line then turning sharply to take Carey’s outside edge to wicketkeeper Litton Das.
He struck again soon after, bowling Webster for five to leave Australia 193-6 and in deep trouble.
A famous victory edged closer when Cummins pushed forward to a Mehidy delivery and got an inside edge to short leg, where Shadman Islam took a sharp chance.
Australia were 207-7, still 21 runs behind Bangladesh’s first-innings total.
Green and Mitchell Starc batted sensibly to ensure Bangladesh had to bat again.
Starc fell for 18 caught behind, but Green was playing well.
But despite looking increasingly comfortable, he was undone when a Hasan ball kept low, hit the toe end of his bat and cannoned into the stumps.
Mehidy wrapped up the innings when he trapped Nathan Lyon plumb in front leg before.
Despite losing Tanzid in the first over, Mominul and Shadman cruised to victory.
Mohamed Salah’s highly anticipated Turkish Süper Lig debut for Trabzonspor was spoiled by minnows Kasımpaşa on Saturday when they held the visiting Black Sea club to a 1-1 draw in their 2026-27 season opener.
The 34-year-old Egyptian captain, who completed a high-profile free transfer to Trabzonspor on a two-year contract following nine seasons with Liverpool, entered the match as a 58th-minute substitute on the right wing shortly after Kasımpaşa had equalized.
Trabzonspor had seized the lead late in the first half when youngster Noah Saviolo finished clinically at the back post in the 43rd minute, connecting with Metehan Mimaroğlu’s cross from the left wing.
However, Kasımpaşa leveled the score in the 56th minute when Adrian Benedyczak calmly converted a penalty after Güven Yalçın was brought down in the box by Wagner Pina.
Salah created several scoring opportunities during his 32 minutes on the pitch. In the 69th minute, his dangerous free kick found Stefan Savic, whose header was tipped away by Kasımpaşa goalkeeper Andreas Gianniotis.
On the resulting play, Mustafa Eskihellaç squared the ball across the face of the goal, but Paul Onuachu was unable to apply the finishing touch.
Salah had a chance to claim a debut winner in the 70th minute when he controlled a pass inside the penalty area, only to fire his effort over the crossbar.
Six minutes later, he volleyed narrowly wide at the far post after latching onto a recycled cross from Eskihellaç.
The draw extends a frustrating trend for Trabzonspor, who have now dropped points in eight of their last 10 Süper Lig season openers played on the road.
“It’s a sad start today. It was a game we had to be victorious in, but we couldn’t succeed. Thursday is really important; we play a match in Europe, and the opponent is far better than us,” Trabzonspor head coach Fatih Tekke said after the match.
Trabzonspor, who finished third in the Süper Lig last season and won the Turkish Cup, are scheduled to face Hungarian club Ferencvaros in the Europa League playoff round on Aug. 20.
Salah’s move to Trabzonspor ended months of transfer speculation following the earlier collapse of negotiations with rivals Beşiktaş.
The forward had announced in March that he would leave Liverpool at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign despite having signed a contract extension at Anfield in April 2025.
Salah departed as Liverpool’s third-highest goalscorer of all time, tallying 257 goals in 442 appearances while capturing two Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy.
Gençlerbirliği stun Fenerbahçe
In Ankara, meanwhile, newly promoted Gençlerbirliği produced the opening weekend’s biggest upset, coming from behind to defeat title contenders Fenerbahçe 2-1.
Fenerbahçe made a dominant opening push and broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when Anderson Talisca converted from close range following a low cross from the left flank.
Talisca nearly doubled the lead before halftime, but his powerful header from a corner crashed against the crossbar.
Despite Fenerbahçe’s early control, Gençlerbirliği equalized in the 37th minute. After winning possession in midfield, the hosts launched a swift counterattack that Franco Tongya finished with precision.
Gençlerbirliği completed the comeback in the 56th minute when Abdurrahim Dursun delivered an inviting cross from the left wing and Oğulcan Ülgün rose above the defense to head home the winning goal.
Fenerbahçe launched a sustained late assault seeking an equalizer, but Gençlerbirliği goalkeeper Irfan Can Eğribayat made critical saves to deny long-range attempts from Talisca.
Late efforts from Vedat Muriqi, Milan Skriniar and Mason Greenwood all missed the target as Gençlerbirliği’s defense held firm to claim all three points in their return to the top flight.
Elsewhere, Rizespor earned a dramatic 1-0 away victory over Konyaspor thanks to a stoppage-time penalty from Qazim Laçi.
After a scoreless 90 minutes that yielded few clear opportunities, Rizespor won a penalty deep into injury time when Emrecan Bulut was brought down inside the box by a Konyaspor defender in the 93rd minute.
Laçi stepped up four minutes later and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way in the 97th minute to secure the three points for the visitors on opening weekend.
Alanyaspor, Gaziantep FK draw
Alanyaspor and Gaziantep FK played to a 1-1 draw in their season opener.
Alanyaspor took the lead early in the second half, but Gaziantep FK drew even in the 61st minute when Deian Sorescu dispossessed an opponent in midfield, embarked on a surging run toward the penalty area, and drilled a long-range strike into the net.
Gaziantep FK pushed for a winner, but Alanyaspor goalkeeper Victor produced a late save on a curling effort from Kacper Kozlowski to ensure both teams left with a point.
Romelu Lukaku took part in his first training session with Fenerbahçe on Thursday as the Belgian striker began settling into his new team ahead of Saturday’s Süper Lig opener against Gençlerbirliği.
Lukaku joined his new teammates at Fenerbahçe’s Can Bartu Facilities as the Yellow-Navy Blues continued preparations for their opening league match in Ankara.
The 33-year-old completed his permanent move to Fenerbahçe from Napoli earlier this week, adding a high-profile attacking option to a squad seeking to challenge for the Turkish title.
Under coach İsmail Kartal, the session began indoors with strength and endurance exercises before the players moved onto the field for warmups, agility and coordination drills.
The squad then split into two groups for 5-on-2 possession and passing exercises before finishing the workout with small-sided scrimmages.
Lukaku’s arrival has generated considerable attention in Türkiye, not only because of his pedigree but also because of his personal connection to the country. He spent part of his childhood in Türkiye while his father, Roger Lukaku, played for Gençlerbirliği in the 1990s.
The striker arrives with an extensive resume that includes spells at Anderlecht, Chelsea, West Bromwich Albion, Everton, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Roma and Napoli. He is also Belgium’s all-time leading scorer, with 93 international goals.
Lukaku endured an injury-hit final season at Napoli, making only seven club appearances, but he played in all six of Belgium’s matches at the 2026 World Cup and scored three goals as Belgium reached the quarterfinals.
He has said he feels fully fit and ready to contribute at Fenerbahçe, describing the transfer as both an honor and an emotional return to a country that formed part of his early life.
Fenerbahçe completed the transfer for a reported fee of about 6 million euros plus performance-related bonuses, with his contract running through June 2028, according to Italian reports and Transfermarkt.
The club has made significant additions to its attack this summer, with Mason Greenwood and Vedat Muriqi among the other arrivals as Fenerbahçe look to mount a serious title challenge.
Fenerbahçe finished second behind Galatasaray in recent seasons and are aiming to end their long wait for the Süper Lig championship.
The club have also made progress in Champions League qualifying, adding another layer to an increasingly demanding start to the season.
Fenerbahçe will hold their final training session Friday before traveling to Ankara for Saturday’s match at Eryaman Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. local time.
The Ballon d’Or has spent nearly seven decades measuring football greatness, with its winners ranging from pioneering legends such as Stanley Matthews and Alfredo Di Stefano to modern icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Presented by France Football since 1956, the award is widely regarded as the most prestigious individual honor in men’s football. Its scope has changed significantly over the years. It initially recognized the best European player, before eligibility was expanded in 1995 to players of any nationality playing for European clubs and then opened globally in 2007.
The award was temporarily merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year between 2010 and 2015, creating the FIFA Ballon d’Or. France Football resumed sole presentation of the award in 2016. No award was given in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the football calendar.
Since 2022, the award has assessed performances primarily over a football season rather than a calendar year. UEFA and the Amaury Group, which owns France Football and L’equipe, have co-organized the ceremony since 2024, while France Football has retained control of the voting system.
The 2025 edition added another chapter to that history when Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele was crowned the men’s Ballon d’Or winner. Dembele finished ahead of Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal and PSG teammate Vitinha after a season in which he helped PSG win its first Champions League title, a domestic double and finished with 37 goals and 15 assists.
The record holders
Messi remains the record holder with eight Ballon d’Or victories. Cristiano Ronaldo has won five, while Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten each claimed the award three times.
Alfredo Di Stefano, Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Ronaldo each won twice. Messi’s eight victories span Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, making him the first player to win the award while playing outside Europe when he claimed the 2023 prize with Inter Miami.
Lev Yashin remains the only goalkeeper to win the men’s award, doing so in 1963 with Dynamo Moscow. George Weah became the first African winner in 1995, and he remains the only African player to have lifted the men’s Ballon d’Or.
Brazilian Ronaldo was the youngest winner at 21 when he claimed the award in 1997, while England’s Stanley Matthews remains the oldest, having won the inaugural award at 41 in 1956.
Complete list of men’s Ballon d’Or winners
1950s
1956: Stanley Matthews, England, Blackpool
1957: Alfredo Di Stefano, Spain, Real Madrid
1958: Raymond Kopa, France, Real Madrid
1959: Alfredo Di Stefano, Spain, Real Madrid
1960s
1960: Luis Suarez, Spain, Barcelona
1961: Omar Sívori, Italy, Juventus
1962: Josef Masopust, Czechoslovakia, Dukla Prague
1963: Lev Yashin, Soviet Union, Dynamo Moscow
1964: Denis Law, Scotland, Manchester United
1965: Eusebio, Portugal, Benfica
1966: Bobby Charlton, England, Manchester United
1967: Flórián Albert, Hungary, Ferencváros
1968: George Best, Northern Ireland, Manchester United
1969: Gianni Rivera, Italy, AC Milan
1970s
1970: Gerd Müller, West Germany, Bayern Munich
1971: Johan Cruyff, Netherlands, Ajax
1972: Franz Beckenbauer, West Germany, Bayern Munich
1973: Johan Cruyff, Netherlands, Barcelona
1974: Johan Cruyff, Netherlands, Barcelona
1975: Oleg Blokhin, Soviet Union, Dynamo Kyiv
1976: Franz Beckenbauer, West Germany, Bayern Munich
1977: Allan Simonsen, Denmark, Borussia Mönchengladbach
1978: Kevin Keegan, England, Hamburger SV
1979: Kevin Keegan, England, Hamburger SV
1980s
1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, West Germany, Bayern Munich
1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, West Germany, Bayern Munich
1982: Paolo Rossi, Italy, Juventus
1983: Michel Platini, France, Juventus
1984: Michel Platini, France, Juventus
1985: Michel Platini, France, Juventus
1986: Igor Belanov, Soviet Union, Dynamo Kyiv
1987: Ruud Gullit, Netherlands, AC Milan
1988: Marco van Basten, Netherlands, AC Milan
1989: Marco van Basten, Netherlands, AC Milan
1990s
1990: Lothar Matthaus, Germany, Inter Milan
1991: Jean-Pierre Papin, France, Marseille
1992: Marco van Basten, Netherlands, AC Milan
1993: Roberto Baggio, Italy, Juventus
1994: Hristo Stoichkov, Bulgaria, Barcelona
1995: George Weah, Liberia, AC Milan
1996: Matthias Sammer, Germany, Borussia Dortmund
1997: Ronaldo, Brazil, Inter Milan
1998: Zinedine Zidane, France, Juventus
1999: Rivaldo, Brazil, Barcelona
2000s
2000: Luis Figo, Portugal, Real Madrid
2001: Michael Owen, England, Liverpool
2002: Ronaldo, Brazil, Real Madrid
2003: Pavel Nedved, Czech Republic, Juventus
2004: Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine, AC Milan
2005: Ronaldinho, Brazil, Barcelona
2006: Fabio Cannavaro, Italy, Real Madrid
2007: Kaka, Brazil, AC Milan
2008: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Manchester United
2009: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
2010s
2010: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
2011: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
2012: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
2013: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Real Madrid
2014: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Real Madrid
2015: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
2016: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Real Madrid
2017: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Real Madrid
2018: Luka Modric, Croatia, Real Madrid
2019: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Barcelona
2020s
2020: No award
2021: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Paris Saint-Germain
2022: Karim Benzema, France, Real Madrid
2023: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Inter Miami
2024: Rodri, Spain, Manchester City
2025: Ousmane Dembele, France, Paris Saint-Germain
UEFA’s official historical record confirms the complete winners’ list through Dembele’s 2025 victory.
How the award is decided
The modern Ballon d’Or is based on three principal considerations: individual performance, team achievements and the player’s conduct, including fair play. The men’s award is decided by an international jury of specialized journalists, with representatives from the top 100 nations in the FIFA rankings. Each voter ranks 10 players, with points awarded on a descending scale of 15, 12, 10, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1.
The evolution of the voting system mirrors the globalization of the sport itself. What began in 1956 as an award restricted to European players eventually became a worldwide honor, allowing stars such as Weah, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Messi and Dembele to compete on the same stage regardless of nationality.
Eras of dominance
The early years were dominated by European stars, with Matthews, Di Stefano, Kopa, Eusebio, Charlton and Best among the players who established the award’s prestige.
The 1970s brought the influence of Dutch football, most notably Cruyff’s three victories, while Beckenbauer and Rummenigge helped define a powerful German era. Platini then became the first player to win three consecutive awards, taking the prize in 1983, 1984 and 1985.
The 1990s ushered in a more global era. Weah’s historic 1995 victory followed the expansion of eligibility and was followed by the emergence of Brazilian stars Ronaldo and Rivaldo, along with Ronaldinho and Kaka in the next decade.
Then came the Messi-Ronaldo era.
Beginning with Ronaldo’s 2008 victory and Messi’s first triumph in 2009, the two superstars dominated the award for more than a decade. Messi won four straight between 2009 and 2012, Ronaldo claimed back-to-back awards in 2013 and 2014, Messi won again in 2015, and Ronaldo followed with victories in 2016 and 2017. Luka Modrić interrupted their run in 2018 before Messi won again in 2019.
Messi’s later victories added further milestones. He won in 2021 with Paris Saint-Germain and again in 2023 after Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, this time while playing for Inter Miami. Rodri broke the Messi-Ronaldo dominance in 2024 after Manchester City’s historic season and Spain’s European Championship victory.
Dembele continued the post-Messi-Ronaldo era in 2025, becoming the latest PSG star to claim the game’s most coveted individual prize after a season highlighted by Champions League success.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or will be presented Oct. 26 in London, marking the award’s 70th edition and its first ceremony in the British capital.
Paris Saint-Germain have signed Spain international Ferran Torres from Barcelona on a contract through 2031, the French champions and the Spanish club announced Saturday.
The 26-year-old forward joins PSG for a reported 50 million euros ($58 million) fee, although neither club disclosed the financial details. Torres will wear the No. 9 shirt in Paris.
The move gives Torres a new challenge at one of Europe’s dominant clubs and reunites him with Luis Enrique, his former Spain coach.
Enrique is now in charge of PSG, who have won the Champions League in each of the past two seasons and are seeking to extend their dominance at home and abroad.
“I’m delighted to be beginning a new adventure at such an ambitious club as Paris Saint-Germain,” Torres said in a club statement.
“I’d like to thank President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Luis Campos and coach Luis Enrique for giving me the opportunity to join the team, which I hope to help win as many trophies as possible.”
From World Cup hero to PSG newcomer
Torres arrives in Paris at the peak of his career after becoming Spain’s World Cup hero last month.
He scored the decisive goal in extra time of the final against Argentina at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, giving Spain a 1-0 victory and its second World Cup title.
Torres came off the bench and struck in the 106th minute, finishing a move that began with Pedro Porro’s cross and a headed knockdown from fellow substitute Nico Williams. His left-footed volley beat Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and settled a tense final.
The goal capped a remarkable summer for Torres, who also helped Spain win the 2024 European Championship.
He now moves to Paris with 25 goals in 65 appearances for Spain and the experience of working under Enrique, who coached the national team before taking charge of PSG.
A productive final season at Barcelona
Torres leaves Barcelona after one of his most productive seasons since joining the club.
He scored 21 goals and recorded three assists in 49 appearances in all competitions during the 2025-26 campaign, helping Barcelona retain the La Liga title under coach Hansi Flick. His 16 league goals also put him among the division’s leading scorers.
Torres spent more than four seasons at Barcelona after joining from Manchester City in January 2022. He made 207 appearances for the Catalan club, scoring 65 goals and helping them win three La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and three Spanish Super Cups.
Barcelona initially paid Manchester City 55 million euros for Torres, with the transfer potentially rising to around 65 million euros with add-ons.
His departure also comes with his Barcelona contract due to expire in June 2027, allowing the club to recoup a substantial portion of its original investment rather than risk losing him later in his contract.
Reunion with Luis Enrique
The transfer gives Torres another opportunity to work with Enrique, who knows his qualities from their time together with Spain.
Torres offers versatility across the attack, having played as a centre-forward, second striker and on either wing. His pace, movement, work rate and finishing give Enrique another option as PSG reshape their forward line.
The French club have been active in strengthening their attack this summer, with departures and possible exits creating additional room for reinforcements.
Torres joins a PSG squad that has established itself as one of the most powerful teams in Europe. The club recently added the UEFA Super Cup to its trophy haul with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa and is preparing for another season of domestic and Champions League competition.
A career that began in Valencia
Torres was born in Foios, near Valencia, and developed through Valencia’s academy before making his senior debut for the club.
He moved to Manchester City in 2020, where he won the Premier League and English League Cup, before Barcelona brought him back to Spain in January 2022.
At PSG, Torres will compete for a central role while retaining the flexibility to operate elsewhere across the front line. His arrival also gives Enrique a player he knows well and trusts at the highest international level.
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