Ask any footballer and they’ll tell you the same: winning trophies as a team is their ultimate ambition.
But somewhere, maybe deep in their sub-conscious, is that desire for their performances to be recognised by their peers.
For some pundits, the Ballon d’Or is merely a chance to stroke the egos of the sport’s elite that little bit more. For others, that little trophy is pure football heritage; a chance for a player to secure their legacy as one of the best in the business.
Either way, the Ballon d’Or nominations attract plenty of headlines… let alone the awarding of the golden ball trophy itself. And, for their efforts during the 2025/26 season, Chelsea have five nominations for the various awards at the 2026 edition:
- Emiliano Martinez – Goalkeeper of the Year
- Hannah Hampton – Goalkeeper of the Year
- Veerle Buurman – Women’s Talent of the Year
- Melvine Malard – Women’s Ballon d’Or
- Manaka Matsukubo – Women’s Ballon d’Or
The ceremony will be held on October 26 at the London Palladium, with the capital chosen as the host to celebrate the achievements of the inaugural Ballon d’Or winner, Stanley Matthews.
So will a Chelsea player be crowned a Ballon d’Or winner on home soil? And has a Blues star ever been awarded this prestigious honour before?
Has a Chelsea Player Ever Won the Ballon d’Or?
The answer is, at the time of writing at least, a regrettable no.
Not a single player has won the Ballon d’Or while representing Chelsea. Although those that played at Stamford Bridge at some point in their career have hoisted the golden ball… more on those later.
The closest we have come is Frank Lampard, who was voted into second place behind Ronaldinho at the 2005 edition.
Super Frank had one of his very best seasons in football in 2004/05, scoring 19 goals in all competitions and providing 18 Premier League assists – the best output in the division. It’s easy to forget sometimes that Lampard played in midfield.
He started the 2005/06 campaign like a train as well, scoring 12 goals in the opening four months up until the nominations for the Ballon d’Or opened. Lampard had to make do with a runner-up finish alongside selection in the FIFPRO World XI.
Chelsea’s only other podium finish came courtesy of Jorginho, whose third-place return in 2021 was powered largely by a stellar tournament at the delayed EURO 2020, where he helped guide the Italians to the trophy.
Signed for £50 million by incoming head coach Maurizio Sarri, Jorginho was a midfield metronome that was brilliant at recycling possession. He was involved in Chelsea’s Champions League triumph in 2021, so will forever hold a place in the club’s hall of fame.
So while no player has won the Ballon d’Or while wearing the Chelsea blue, those with a connection to the club HAVE been named as the year’s best footballer:
- Ruud Gullit – AC Milan (1987)
- Andriy Shevchenko – AC Milan (2004)
Prior to his successful stint as Chelsea player and head coach, Ruud Gullit was part of an extraordinary AC Milan side that swept all before them. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1987, and then finished second the following year as three Milan players – Marco van Basten, Gullit and Frank Rijkaard – dominated the voting.
Andriy Shevchenko never truly showed his best form at Stamford Bridge, scoring a paltry nine goals in 48 appearances at the club. That’s a shame, as the Ukrainian was an outstanding goal-grabber for AC Milan – scoring for fun and lifting the Ballon d’Or in 2004. More can be found on our Chelsea Ballon d’Or winners page.
Has a Chelsea Player Ever Won the Women’s Ballon d’Or?
The women’s version of the Ballon d’Or, known as the Ballon d’Or Feminin, was launched in 2018.
And despite a handful of Chelsea stars being nominated, none has quite been able to get the nod.
The legendary Sam Kerr has come the closest. She finished second behind the incomparable Aitana Bonmati in 2023, having notched 29 goals in all competitions in 2022/23; a season in which Chelsea did the Super League and FA Cup double.
Kerr also finished in third place in the voting in both 2021 and 2022, while Lucy Bronze – a Lyon player at the time who now plays for Chelsea – was the runner-up to Megan Rapinoe in 2019.
The excellent Melvine Malard will be hoping to become the first Blues player to win the Ballon d’Or Feminin in 2026, although technically her nomination came for her performances with Manchester United in 2025/26.
She will be joined in the vote by Chelsea’s Japanese star Manaka Matsukubo.