Ronaldo Nazario’s place among soccer’s all-time greats is reflected in more than his unforgettable goals and World Cup performances. The Brazilian striker won the Ballon d’Or twice, becoming one of the most celebrated players and one of the few to appear on the all-time Ballon d’Or winners list multiple times.
His first triumph came in 1997, when he was only 21 and playing for Inter Milan. After starring for Barcelona before his move to Italy, he became the first Brazilian to win the award under its original European eligibility rules. It also made Ronaldo the youngest player to win the Ballon d’Or.
France Football records him as the winner ahead of Predrag Mijatovic and Zinedine Zidane. Five years later, O Fenomeno claimed the prize again after a remarkable comeback from serious injuries and a spectacular 2002 World Cup with Brazil.
Which clubs did Ronaldo Nazario play for when he won the Ballon d’Or?
Ronaldo Nazario won the Ballon d’Or in 1997 as an Inter Milan player and in 2002 as a Real Madrid player. He joined Inter in July 1997 after an extraordinary season with Barcelona, where he scored 47 goals in 49 official matches and won the Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
Ronaldo Nazario with his Ballon d’Or award (Source: @ChampionsLeague and @ballondor)
His second Ballon d’Or came in 2002, when Ronaldo had started the year at Inter before moving to Real Madrid after the World Cup. He joined the Spanish club in September for a reported €47 million and quickly became one of the team’s biggest stars.
How many times did Ronaldo Nazario finish in the Ballon d’Or top three?
Ronaldo Nazario finished in the Ballon d’Or top three four times. He was second in 1996, won the award in 1997, finished third in 1998 and won it again in 2002.
His first podium came in 1996, when he finished just one point behind Germany’s Matthias Sammer in the voting. He was playing for Barcelona at the time and earned 143 points compared with Sammer’s 144.
He then went one step further in 1997. He dominated the voting with 222 points, finishing well ahead of second-place Predrag Mijatoviccand third-place Zinedine Zidane. He became the first Brazilian to win the France Football award.
In 1998, he remained on the podium despite Brazil losing the World Cup final to France. Zinedine Zidane won the Ballon d’Or after his World Cup triumph, while Davor Suker finished second and he took third with 66 points.
His fourth top-three finish came in 2002, when he returned to the top of the voting after a remarkable comeback from serious knee injuries and a sensational World Cup with Brazil.
Key takeaways
- Ronaldo Nazario won the Ballon d’Or twice during his soccer career.
- Real Madrid signed Ronaldo Nazario in September 2002 for a reported €47 million.
- Ronaldo Nazario finished in the Ballon d’Or top three four times overall.
