Who Was the Last Defender to Win the Ballon d'Or?

The art of defending is one typically overlooked during awards season.

Since the Ballon d'Or's inception in 1956, there have been just a few instances of voters preferring glorious stoutness over majestic playmaking, dazzling wing-play or prolfiic goal-getting.

It's those doing the creating and scoring that win the hearts and minds, while the soldiers tasked with stopping the artists are looked upon with disdain. They're preventing all the fun from happening.

Every so often, though, a defender produces a season so exceptional that voters simply can’t ignore them.

But with almost two decades having passed since a defender last claimed the award, who was the most recent player to break the mold?

Who Was the Last Defender to Win the Ballon d'Or?

Fabio Cannavaro was the last defender to win the Ballon d’Or, claiming soccer’s most prestigious individual honor in 2006 after captaining Italy to World Cup glory in Germany. His performances throughout the tournament earned him widespread recognition before he completed a high-profile move from Juventus to Real Madrid.

Cannavaro’s Italy teammate and former Juventus colleague, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, finished second in the voting, with Arsenal forward Thierry Henry taking third place.

Cannavaro also won the FIFA World Player of the Year award that year, becoming the only defender to claim the honor during its 19-year run.

Every Defender to the Win the Ballon d'Or

Cannavaro isn’t the only defender to have won the Ballon d’Or. German legends Franz Beckenbauer and Matthias Sammer have also claimed the prestigious award.

Beckenbauer was the first defender to win it and remains the only one to have done so twice. Widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders in soccer history, he helped pioneer the modern libero role, winning his first Ballon d’Or in 1972 after helping West Germany triumph at the European Championship, finishing ahead of compatriots Gerd Müller and Günter Netzer.

Four years later, Beckenbauer claimed the award again after helping Bayern Munich win the European Cup.

Sammer joined the exclusive club in 1996 following an outstanding season in which he excelled at both club and international level. He helped Borussia Dortmund win the Bundesliga before playing a pivotal role in Germany’s European Championship triumph, following in Beckenbauer’s footsteps.

Defenders Who Have Won the Ballon d'Or