Since its inception in 1956, the Ballon d'Or award has seen many recipients. Only 2 players have managed to win the most number of awards, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have managed to win 5 and 7 awards respectively. But today we will look at the top 5 oldest Ballon d'Or winners.

The top 5 oldest Ballon d'Or winners are:

#5. Luka Modric (2018): 33 Years 2 Months

A rare winner during the Messi-Ronaldo era, Luka Modric clinched his first Ballon d'Or in 2018, and that too at the age of 33. 

Real Madrid's number 10 held the UEFA Champions League trophy for the third time in a row and led Croatia, FIFA World Cup final for the first time in their history. He is considered one of the best midfielders of this generation and his skills put him on top of his competitors.

#4. Alfredo Di Stefano (1989): 33 Year 5 Months

A legendary figure of Real Madrid, was the first player from the club to get his hands on the Ballon d'Or award. The Argentina-born striker is considered one of the best players of all time and is praised for his poaching skills even today. 

The Real Madrid legend has bagged the prestigious Ballon d'Or award twice (1957 and 1959). By the time di Stefano won his second and last Ballon d'Or, he was over 33 years old.

#3. Lev Yashin (1963): 34 years and 1 Month

The first and the only goalkeeper till now to get the Ballon d'Or award, on top of that he is the first ever player to receive this prestigious award. 

The Soviet goalkeeper was known for his goalkeeping as well as his commanding skills. Lev Yashin often held his side's defense together and brought an air of composure to the backline.

#2. Lionel Messi (2021): 34 Years 5 Months

The most successful player in the history of the Ballon d'Or, Lionel Messi clinched his 7th award. He is the only footballer to win the prestigious trophy four times in a row (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012). 

Lionel Messi's 2021 included leading his national side Argentina to the Copa America title, his first ever major international trophy, as well as a Copa del Ray triumph with Barcelona.

#1. Stanley Matthews (1956): 41 years and 10 months

The oldest and the first player to win this award, Stanley Matthews won this award in 1956 at the age of 41 years old. He spent the majority of his playing career at Stoke City and Blackpool. An absolute poacher in front of goal, Sir Stanley Matthews was extremely clinical and his accuracy was pinpoint.

El Clasico is one of football’s biggest rivalries, between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Over the years, they’ve played many exciting and emotional matches, full of great goals and big moments. With stars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Roberto Carlos, these games are always packed with talent and drama.

10. Real Madrid 5-0 FC Barcelona, 1995

The Real Madrid vs. Barcelona match on January 7, 1995, at the Santiago Bernabeu was unforgettable. Zamorano netted a hat-trick, leading Real Madrid to a commanding 5-0 victory in this LaLiga clash. It was one of the most one-sided El Clasico matches ever, with the home team fully dominating Barcelona.

The match gave Real Madrid an edge in the title race for La Liga.

9. Real Madrid 2-1 FC Barcelona, 2014

The Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, hosted the 2014 Copa Del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona on April 16. The match seemed headed for extra time, but a brilliant 85th-minute goal from Gareth Bale secured the victory for Real Madrid. It marked their 19th Copa del Rey title.

8. FC Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid, 2010

After dominating El Clasico the previous season, Barcelona, led by coach Pep Guardiola, continued their strong form in 2009-10. Real Madrid had spent big to rebuild their "Galactico Era," bringing in stars like Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

But Madrid’s firepower wasn’t enough. Barcelona crushed them 5-0 at the Camp Nou, with David Villa scoring twice. Messi didn’t score but played a big role in most of the goals.

Read Also: Barcelona vs Real Madrid trophy battle: Which club has won more trophies

7. FC Barcelona 3-3 Real Madrid, 2007

This LaLiga match between Barcelona and Real Madrid took place at Camp Nou on March 10, 2007, and ended in an exciting 3-3 draw. Both teams played their hearts out, making it one of the greatest El Clasico matches in recent years.

Messi scored a hat-trick, while Van Nistelrooy scored twice and Ramos added one for Madrid. A fierce, high-scoring clash that highlighted both teams' firepower.

6. Real Madrid 4-2 FC Barcelona, 2005

The early 2000s saw Real Madrid stacked with stars like Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Beckham, and Ronaldo Nazario. Despite Barcelona boasting talents like Ronaldinho, Eto'o, and Xavi, Madrid outclassed them with a 4-2 win—Zidane and Ronaldo struck early, while Raul and Owen sealed it in the second half.

5. Real Madrid 3-1 FC Barcelona, 1960

Real Madrid’s clash with Barcelona in the 1960 European Cup Semifinal is seen as a key moment in El Clasico history. Madrid won 3-1 and reached the final. Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas found the net for Real Madrid, sealing their victory in the semifinal against Barcelona.

The match showed the strong rivalry and attacking power of both teams. It's still remembered today as one of the greatest El Clasico matches and a major turning point in their history.

4. FC Barcelona 4-0 Real Madrid, 2015

During the peak of the MSN era at Barcelona, the team looked unstoppable in Spain. But for the first El Clasico of the season, Messi was out with an injury. Surprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t make much impact, while Luis Suárez and Neymar stepped up. They led Barcelona to a dominant 4-0 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

Read Also: Youngest goalscorers in El Clasico: Lamine Yamal breaks 77-year-old record to become the youngest ever

3. Real Madrid 4-2 FC Barcelona, 1988

With both teams playing attacking football and creating plenty of chances, this was the greatest El Clasico match of the 1980s. Butragueno gave Real Madrid the lead, but Gary Lineker put Barcelona ahead. Goals from Schuster and Michel made it 3-1 for Madrid. Julio Salinas gave Barca hope, but a late goal from Hugo Sanchez sealed the win for Real Madrid.

2. FC Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid, 2011

One of the most intense and dramatic El Clasicos happened in 2011 during the Supercopa de Espana. The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu, but the second leg had everything—goals, fouls, and lots of drama.

Iniesta put Barcelona ahead, Ronaldo equalised, and Messi sealed it with two goals, including a late 88th-minute winner. The match turned chaotic after a foul on Fabregas sparked a brawl, leading to four red cards and Mourinho infamously poking Vilanova in the eye.

1. FC Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid, 2017

Debatably the greatest El Clasico match of the modern era, took place in the 2016-17 LaLiga season. Real Madrid was leading the league and hoping to extend their lead, while Barcelona needed a win to stay in the title race.

What made this match unforgettable happened in the final moments. The ball was passed to Messi just outside the Real Madrid penalty area. Instead of taking a wild shot, Messi calmly placed the ball into the bottom corner, securing a crucial victory for Barcelona at their biggest rivals' home.

Welcome to our live coverage of the Arsenal vs Real Madrid UEFA Champions League 2024-25 quarter-final 1st leg match at Emirates Stadium.

This is Koushik Biswas, who will bring you the buildup, head-to-head stats, team news and real-time updates of the all-important match from our web desk. 

Real Madrid qualified for the last eight after a controversial penalty shootout win over Atletico Madrid, after losing four games to their road to the round of 16. 

In the meantime, Arsenal thrashed PSV by 9-3 on aggregate to reach the quarter-finals. 

We have an exciting 90-minute game at hand. So, sit back and relax as we bring you all the updates from Sportz Point's web desk.

Real Madrid's president, Florentino Perez, is known for his brilliant business strategy during the transfer windows. In recent years, Los Blancos have built one of the most impressive and young squads in football. Players like Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois, Fede Valverde, and Rodrygo are all playing for the team, there are not many sides in world football who can compete with them. 

As a result, Los Blancos have to pay for their talent and their wages are pretty handsome. Toni Kroos was the club's highest-paid player but decided to retire at the end of the 2023-24 season. After Kroos' retirement, the club brought in Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain, as of now Mbappe is the most earning player for the Los Blancos. 

So, let's take a look at how much money all Real Madrid players are making in 2025, featuring Los Blancos' stars like Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Junior and rising stars like Arda Guler, Endrick, and Raul Asencio.

Every Real Madrid's Players wages in 2025:

Goalkeepers:

In goal, it should come as a surprise to no one that Thibaut Courtois is comfortably the highest earner in Real Madrid. The Belgian international joined Real Madrid in 2018 from Chelsea and has been a number-one choice since then. However, his injuries were never any doubt about his spot in the starting lineup, and his weekly wage reflects that. Courtois is currently earning at Real Madrid €248,249 per week.

Andrey Lunin is another goalkeeper currently in the first squad and he is currently earning at Real Madrid €46,505 per week. He is the only backup of Thibaut Courtois, so, first-team opportunities are not something he is expected to be presented with too often, but he stepped up brilliantly during Courtois' injury last season.

Defenders:

In terms of the highest-paid defenders at Real Madrid, David Alaba is currently earning at Real Madrid €372,373/week more than any other defenders in the squad. David Alaba's teammates Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao both are currently earning at Real Madrid €234,139 per week.

Similarly, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy both are currently earning at Real Madrid €172,450/week. Lucas Vasquez is currently earning at Real Madrid €155,238/week. Fran Garcia, Jesus Vallejo, and Raul Asencio, these three defenders are currently earning at Real Madrid €86,225/week, €28,914/week, and €13,493/week each. 

And, as the current reports, Liverpool's Trent Alexander Arnold has agreed on a deal to join Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer and will be taking home €240,000 per week and this will make him the second-highest earning defender for Los Blancos and also, he will become highest-paid right back in the football world. 

Midfielders:

Jude Bellingham has been playing like the best midfielder in the world since his Real Madrid transfer in 2023 and he is currently earning at Real Madrid like the midfielder too. Jude is making €344,735 per week. Federico Valverde is currently earning at Real Madrid €275,887 per week. Aurelien Tchouameni is making over €200,000 per week as he is currently earning at Real Madrid €206,874 per week. 

The last two midfielders in the squad are tied, with Dani Ceballos and Luka Modric both are currently earning at Real Madrid €172,450 per week. The Croatian has accomplished some legendary things for Real Madrid, including winning the Ballon d'Or in 2018. 

Forwards:

Kylian Mbappe is far and away the highest earner for Los Blancos. Kylian Mbappe is currently earning at Real Madrid over half and million euros every single week. Some way behind him in second place among the forwards is Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian is currently earning at Real Madrid under €350,000 per week. 

Vinicius' fellow Brazilian Rodrygo is currently earning €206,874 per week at Real Madrid. And the remaining forwards, Brahim Diaz, Arda Guler, and Endrick, this three-forwards are currently making at Real Madrid €120,649, €83,566, and €66,845 per week each.

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The European Golden Shoe is one of the most prestigious individual awards in football, given annually to the leading goal scorer from the top European leagues. Over the past decade, some of football’s biggest superstars have dominated this recognition, showcasing their incredible talent and consistency in front of goal.

In this article from Sportz Point, discover the last 10 European Golden Shoe winners list, featuring stars like Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane, and legendary players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Luis Suarez.

Last 10 European Golden Shoe winners List:

Harry Kane | 2024-25 season | Bayern Munich:

Harry Kane is among the greatest strikers to crave his name in the European Golden Shoe winners list. Despite the Bayern forward's failure to win any silverware, he won one of the most prestigious individual awards the Golden Shoe, this award shows his goal-scoring prowess. The Englishmen won the award for scoring 36 goals in the 2024-25 season.

 Erling Haaland | 2022-23 | Manchester City:

Earling Haaland scored 36 goals in the Premier League 2022-23 season to win the prestigious individual award and cemented his name among the top players to win the European Golden Shoe winners list. In that season Earling Haaland and company won their maiden UEFA Champions League title and completed a treble for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola.

 Robert Lewandowski | 2021-22 and 2020-21 | Bayern Munich:

Robert Lewandowski won the Golden Shoe Award in the 2021-22 season, as he cemented his name as one of the two players to win the European Golden Shoe multiple times in the list. His goals were more than enough to declare him a Ballon d'Or winner, but he was overshadowed by Karim Benzema in that season. 

In the 2020-21 season, Robert Lewandowski won his first Golden Shoe Award. In that season Robert Lewandowski and his company won a treble for Bayern Munich under Julian Nagelsmann, but he failed to win the Ballon d'Or award as Lionel Messi won the Copa America.

Ciro Immobile | 2019-20 | Lazio:

Immobile scored 36 league goals for Lazio in 2019-20 to win the prestigious individual award and cemented his name among the top players to win the European Golden Shoe winners list. Despite scoring 36 league goals for Lazio but did not get the chance to claim a Ballon d’Or rank as the award was cancelled that year due to Covid.

Lionel Messi | 2018-19, 2017-18, and 2016-17 | FC Barcelona:

Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski are the only players to crave their names multiple times in the European Golden Shoe winners list. In the 2018-19 season, Messi became the last player to win the Golden Shoe and Ballon d'Or in one season. Messi was the only player, who was dragging Ernesto Valverde's managed Barcelona side to the treble and scored 36 goals.

In the 2017-18 season, Messi scored 34 league goals and won his second European Golden Shoe, despite delivering a stinker performance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In the 2016-17 season, Messi scored more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the Ballon d'Or that season, but Messi won the European Golden Shoe and became the first player to win the Golden Shoe thrice in the list.

Luis Suarez | 2015-16 | FC Barcelona:

Luis Suarez was a goalscoring machine in 2015-16, as he even managed to outgun the likes of Messi and Ronaldo. The Uruguayan scored 40 goals in La Liga alone, and he became the one and only player to win an individual award in Messi and Ronaldo's era. His goalscoring prowess is the reason, he is on the European Golden Shoe winners list. 

Cristiano Ronaldo | 2014-15 | Real Madrid:

Surprisingly, 2014-15 was the last time that Ronaldo ever won the European Golden Shoe. He enjoyed an excellent individual season, scoring 48 league goals for Real Madrid, but was ultimately overshadowed by Barcelona and Messi who won the treble that year. His excellent goal-scoring skills are the reason he is on the European Golden Shoe winners list. 

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Lionel Messi has been dropped from the Argentina squad ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup CONMEBOL Qualifiers encounters against Uruguay and Brazil during the March international break.

Lionel Scaloni announced a 26-member squad on March 17th, excluding the World Cup-winning captain., sparking debates among the Albiceleste fans.

However, reports suggested that Messi might have sustained an injury during the Major League Soccer game for Inter Miami, making it impossible for him to attend the national fixture.

Sportz Point breaks down why Lionel Messi will not play against Uruguay and later against Brazil.

Why is Lionel Messi not playing?

The 37-year-old Argentine forward sustained a low-grade injury in the adductor muscle during Inter Miami's MLS encounter against Atalanta United on March 16th, Sunday. 

🚨⚠️ Understand Leo Messi completed a scan in the morning after the game vs Atlanta United last night.

The scan confirmed that Messi suffered from a small muscle injury in the adductor area and he won’t be available to play for Argentina. pic.twitter.com/x7v6kAukyv

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 17, 2025

Although Lionel Messi opened the scoring and led Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory, it has been revealed that he has suffered an injury that might keep him out of international duties.

Inter Miami issued an official statement on March 18th, stating Messi's injury updates. The statement reads:

Inter Miami CF has provided an injury update presented by Baptist Health for captain Leo Messi.

Messi underwent an MRI this morning to assess the extent of the discomfort in his adductor region, which he experienced during last night’s match against Atlanta United.

The examination’s findings confirmed the presence of a low-grade injury in the adductor muscle. His clinical progress and response to treatment will determine his availability for competition.

The Argentina captain himself posted a story on Instagram which contains a photo of him in the national shirt, and he conveyed his disappointment in a short statement.

It's a shame to miss these two very special matches with the national team against Uruguay and Brazil. As always, I wanted to be there, but at the last minute, a minor injury forced me to take a break before playing again left me out. From here, I'll be cheering and supporting you like any other fan. Go Argentina!

These statements confirm that he's not expected to be sidelined for long but will miss the upcoming matches with Uruguay on March 22nd and Brazil on March 26th.

✍️ Lionel Messi makes his own statement on the injury via his Instagram account:

Noteworthy is him saying that the injury is “not significant” but that it will force him to stop playing “for a time.”#InterMiamiCF #Messi𓃵 pic.twitter.com/LtraelUO7G

— Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) March 17, 2025

When will Messi return to play Argentina?

However, Messi will have to wait until before donning the national crest again. In the June international break, when Argentina will travel to play against Chile on June 4th and will take on Colombia on June 9th.