Numerous legendary players over the years have scooped up the trophy, including Lionel Messi, who has won it seven times, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won it five times. Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, Franz Beckenbauer and George Best have all also got their hands on the reputable award.

However, there is an award that is even more prestigious than the great Ballon d'Or - the Super Ballon d'Or. So what is it? Who has won it before? Where is the trophy now? And will it even be handed out again.

What is the Super Ballon d'Or?

The Super Ballon d'Or is the name of a prize that was awarded on 24 December 1989, by the French football magazine France Football for the best football player of the last three decades. The trophy looks similar to the Ballon d'Or but has many mini gold footballs at its base. So far, the award has only been given out once - making it possibly the rarest accolade a footballer can achieve.

How it differs from the traditional Ballon d'Or

The Super Ballon d'Or is the name of a prize that was awarded on 24 December 1989, by the French football magazine France Football for the best football player of the last three decades. The trophy looks similar to the Ballon d'Or, but has many mini gold footballs at its base. So far, the award has only been given out once - making it possibly the rarest accolade a footballer can achieve.

Taking into account the achievements across the entire career of the winning player, as well as the impact they had on the game as a whole and the team they specifically represented, the award covers all bases. This honour is largely down to longevity, which is where it differs from the Ballon d'Or that is handed out every 12 months. A player that performs at a world-class level for a few years is unlikely to be in contention for a Super Ballon d'Or due to the number of players who consistently perform at the highest level for many years.

Who has won the Super Ballon d'Or?

Only European players could win the Ballon d'Or until 1995, when it was expanded to include all players from any origin that have been active at European clubs. That means that the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona were not able to win the Super Ballon d'Or in 1989.

The front runners for the award in 1989 included France legend Michel Platini, who won three consecutive Ballon d'Or trophies from 1984-1986 and Beckenbauer, considered one of the greatest defensive-minded players in football history. Dutch legend Johan Cruyff, winner of the Ballon d'Or in 1971, 1973 and 1974, and Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano were also in contention.

Di Stefano vs other football legends

Where Di Stefano's Super Ballon d'Or trophy is now? 

Di Stefano's Super Ballon d'Or award was on display at the Real Madrid museum at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. However, in 2021, a lot of his memorabilia, including the rare trophy, was auctioned off at Julien's Auctions in London. The Super Ballon d'Or was the most expensive item at the auction by some distance, selling for a whopping £187,500.

It was the latter who picked up the trophy, emerging victorious in a vote involving fans, a France football jury and former winners of the Ballon d'Or. Di Stefano, who passed away in 2014, established himself as a legend at Real Madrid, scoring 308 goals in 396 official matches and helping them to 18 trophies in a 11-year spell from 1953-1964.

Who could win the next Super Ballon d'Or?

It is unknown whether the Super Ballon d'Or trophy will ever be handed out again. However, there is a chance that it could be presented for the second time in 2029, 30 years after the first was given out.

So, who will be in contention to win it? Two-time winner Ronaldo Nazario and three-time winner Marco van Basten will likely both be among the nominees. But, realistically, it will be a two-horse race between two players: Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi will be the favourite having won the Ballon d'Or trophy seven times, and he could well win his eighth later this year. But, despite Messi's record-breaking total, many believe Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest footballer ever and there will surely be many people that think he deserves to be the second winner of the prestigious trophy. We hope the award is handed out once more in 2029 as it will be fascinating to see who emerges victorious.

INFORMATION CREDIT : Google  

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