The Ballon d’Or has celebrated the greatest players in soccer history since 1956, but one position has remained largely absent from its list of winners. The creation of the Yashin Trophy offered a dedicated way to recognize the best goalkeeper.
While strikers and midfielders have dominated the prestigious individual award, goalkeepers have rarely received the same recognition, even when their performances have proved decisive in major competitions.
Only one goalkeeper has ever won the Ballon d’Or, a statistic that highlights just how difficult it has been for players between the posts to reach the top of the sport’s individual honors. That historic exception is Lev Yashin.
When did Lev Yashin win the Ballon d’Or?
Lev Yashin won the Ballon d’Or in 1963, becoming the first and only goalkeeper to receive the award. The Soviet legend finished ahead of Italian midfielder Gianni Rivera and English forward Jimmy Greaves in the voting.
Lev Yashin with the Ballon d’Or in 1963. (Source: Britannica)
More than six decades later, no other goalkeeper has matched his achievement. His victory came during an outstanding year for Dynamo Moscow, which won the Soviet league title for the fifth time in the club’s history.
The goalkeeper conceded just seven goals in the 27 league matches he played that season, according to the BBC, while his performances on the international stage further strengthened his reputation.
His impact went beyond stopping shots. Nicknamed the “Black Spider”, he became famous for his reflexes, command of the penalty area and willingness to leave his goal to act as an extra defender.
His style helped redefine the position, and his legacy remains central to the conversation about the greatest goalkeepers in history. In 2019, France Football introduced the Yashin Trophy to recognize the best goalkeeper of the season.
Which goalkeepers have come closest to winning the Ballon d’Or?
Gianluigi Buffon and Dino Zoff have finished second in the Ballon d’Or voting, while Oliver Kahn and Manuel Neuer have also reached the top three.
Buffon was the runner-up in 2006 after playing a key role in Italy’s FIFA World Cup triumph, while Zoff claimed second place in 1973 after a successful season with Juventus. Both came closer than most goalkeepers to joining Yashin as winners.
Other legendary goalkeepers have also reached the podium:
- Oliver Kahn: Finished third in 2001 and 2002. His performances for Bayern Munich and Germany established him as one of the leading players of his generation.
- Manuel Neuer: Placed third in 2014 after helping Germany win the World Cup in Brazil.
- Ivo Viktor: Finished third in 1976 after starring for Czechoslovakia during its European Championship-winning campaign.
Several other names have finished just outside the top three. Iker Casillas placed fourth in 2008 following Spain’s European Championship victory, while Alisson Becker finished seventh in 2019 and Thibaut Courtois did the same in 2022.
Can a goalkeeper win the Ballon d’Or again?
A goalkeeper can win the Ballon d’Or again because the award is open to players regardless of their position, nationality or league. The official regulations prioritize individual performances and their decisive impact, followed by team achievements and trophies, and then a player’s class and fair play.
There is no rule preventing a goalkeeper from winning the main award. The challenge is producing a season that stands out against the world’s best forwards and midfielders.
A goalkeeper would likely need to deliver exceptional performances consistently, make decisive saves in major matches and play a central role in winning a major trophy, such as the UEFA Champions League or the FIFA World Cup.
The creation of the Yashin Trophy in 2019 also gave goalkeepers a dedicated award for their performances across the season. However, it does not prevent them from competing for the Ballon d’Or itself.
Why do goalkeepers struggle to win the Ballon d’Or?
Goalkeepers struggle to win the Ballon d’Or largely because their contributions are harder to measure and attract less attention than goals and attacking statistics.
A striker can build a compelling case through goals, assists and decisive moments, while a goalkeeper’s best work often involves preventing an opponent from scoring. Those saves can determine the outcome of a match, but they do not always receive the same recognition as a winning goal.
Another factor is the way voters evaluate a player’s overall impact. The Ballon d’Or’s official criteria place individual performances first, followed by team achievements and fair play.
Although those rules do not favor a specific position, attacking players often have more visible statistics to support their candidacy. Goalkeepers also depend heavily on their defensive organization and teammates, making it harder to separate their individual contributions from the team’s overall performance.
Key takeaways
- Only one goalkeeper has ever won the Ballon d’Or in soccer history.
- Lev Yashin won the award in 1963, conceding seven goals in 27 league matches.
- Gianluigi Buffon and Dino Zoff came closest by finishing second in the voting.
