Paolo Rossi’s 1982 Ballon d’Or win is a story of one man who overcame adversity and against all odds rose to the very top of world football. He became only the third Italian to win the award after Juventus’ Omar Sívori in 1961 and AC Milan midfielder Gianni Rivera eight years later. The manner in … Read more
After an incredible 1980 season, that was twice as good as his best season prior to his first Ballon d’Or, he’d go on to improve even further. After 5 seasons of establishing himself, and gradually progressing, Rummenigge had hit his stride. The 1980 season that earned him a first Ballon d’Or saw him score 26 … Read more
Gerd Muller is undoubtedly one of the greatest strikers in the history of football. The forward currently sits eighth on a list of the game’s all-time top scorers with 634 goals across his seventeen-year career. And 1970 was no exception. Muller became the first West German and first Bayern Munich player to win the Ballon … Read more
From an early age, the Italian media dubbed Milan’s attacking midfielder Gianni Rivera their nation’s “Golden Boy.” He joined Milan in 1960 as a 17-year-old and would go on to serve as the team’s captain for twelve seasons. Rivera enjoyed a highly successful career both domestically and in Europe, winning three Serie A titles and … Read more
The legendary George Best is considered one of the greatest footballers the game has ever witnessed. In 1968, he became Northern Ireland’s first winner of the Ballon d’Or and third Manchester United player to claim the trophy following Denis Law in 1964 and Bobby Charlton two years later. Still only 23-years old, Best had already … Read more
In 1958, Real Madrid forward Raymond Kopa was awarded the Ballon d’Or. He became the first French player to win the accolade with no other claiming the prize until fellow countryman Michel Platini in 1983. Kopa was the second Real Madrid star to lift the Ballon d’Or after Alfredo Di Stefano, with players from the … Read more
The 1950 FIFA World Cup was a tournament that defied expectations and left an indelible mark on the history of football. As the first World Cup after World War II, the event was a spectacle of hope and unity, unique in its structure, lacking a traditional final match. Amid the festivity, the clash between Brazil … Read more
Luis Figo, over his 20-year playing career, established himself as not only one of the best Portuguese players to grace the pitch but as a footballer in general, though with his success came a whole heap of controversy. Attesting to his talent, he is his nation’s fourth all-time appearance holder, having made his international bow … Read more
Real Madrid legend Hugo Sánchez had already begun to capture the imagination of European football’s elite long before his sensational move to the Bernabeu. Spending his youth in native Mexico, he scored nearly a century of goals for UNAM and then spread his wings to play in North America. The Mexican soon headed for La … Read more
For all the glory and fame, fortune and acclaim the world of football can bring, every player who has played and who will play the game all at one point or another comes from humble beginnings. In mainland Europe, you’ll seldom be able to walk through a city street or a small town without seeing … Read more