A very closed club. Sacred Ballon d’Or, Monday 17 October 2022, Karim Benzema became the fifth French winner of the prestigious trophy, awarding the best footballer in the world since its creation in 1956. The opportunity for franceinfo: sport to retrace the history of the four glorious elderly Benzema.
Raymond Kopa, the pioneer
The first star of French football is called Raymond Kopa. The son of a miner, he has socially emancipated himself thanks to football. After Angers and Stade de Reims, the attacking midfielder signed for Real Madrid in 1956, at a time when French players very rarely played abroad. If he shines with the Merengues, it is his performance in France that takes him to another dimension.
During the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, Kopa was the main architect of the beautiful third place of the Blues. He is even crowned best player in the competition ahead of Pele. Enough to offer Raymond Kopa the first Ballon d’Or for a French player. The Kopa trophy, created in 2018 to reward the best under-21 player, pays tribute to him.
Michel Platini, historic hat-trick
It was worth the wait. 25 years after Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini became the second Frenchman to win the Ballon d’Or. Third in 1977 in Nancy, “Platoche” couldn’t do better with Saint-Etienne (1979-1982) and had to go into exile as Kopa to finally raise the trophy. With Juventus Turin and France, Michel Platini accumulates goals and titles. His masterpiece is Euro 1984 won with the Blues, where he finishes top scorer (9 goals in 5 games). Between 1983 and 1985 the Turinese monopolized the Golden Ball and became the first to win it three consecutive times, up to Lionel Messi (four times in a row between 2009 and 2012).
Jean-Pierre Papin, the only number 9
During the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, in which the French team finished in third place, Michel Platini was able to join the third Frenchman crowned Ballon d’Or: Jean-Pierre Papin. Unveiled in Bruges in Belgium, the center forward became the cornerstone of Olympique de Marseille during the Bernard Tapie years.
Four-time champion of France, JPP led OM to the Champions League final in 1991. Despite a cruel defeat against Belgrade, his “papinades” allowed him to win the Ballon d’Or. Transferred to Milan, Jean-Pierre Papin will once again lose the C1 final, against Marseille in 1993, before finally winning it with the Rossoneri in 1994.
Zinédine Zidane, a brace that changes everything
Sometimes a career can be played on the details. Before the World Cup final between France and Brazil on 12 July 1998, the Ballon d’Or was anything but won for Zinédine Zidane. If he was coming out of a great season with Juventus Turin, the number 10 had not had the same success during the World Cup in France.
His double header at the Stade de France will make “Zizou” the hero of the Blues’ first world title. The Marseillaise won the Ballon d’Or with 244 points, far ahead of the Croatian Davor Suker (68 points) and the Brazilian Ronaldo (66 points). Recruited for gold by Real Madrid in 2001, Zinédine Zidane will never double, despite a Champions League victory in 2002 and a World Cup final in 2006.
