A simple look through the records of Ballon d'Or winners reveals that the late Brazilian legend Pelé's name is missing, despite most football fans considering him the greatest player ever. Pelé's remarkable performances with Santos between 1956 and 1974, as well as with his national team, make it seem absurd and controversial that another player was awarded the Ballon d'Or during that period, especially in the years he led Brazil to World Cup titles in 1958, 1962, and 1970. He is the only player in history to win the World Cup three times.
- **Why Didn't Pelé Win the Ballon d'Or?**
Originally, the Ballon d'Or awarded by "France Football" was given exclusively to the best European player active in Europe from 1956 to 1994. From 1995 to 2006, it was awarded to the best player in Europe, and starting in 2007, it became the award for the best player in the world. Pelé's absence from the Ballon d'Or list, despite being named the best athlete of the 20th century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999 and the best player of the century by FIFA the following year, is due to the fact that he was not eligible to compete for the Ballon d'Or during a time when the award was restricted to European players.
For example, Pelé deserved to win the Ballon d'Or on at least three occasions when he led Brazil to World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970. In 1995, "France Football" decided to allow non-European players to compete for the Ballon d'Or, provided they played for a European club. This change allowed Liberian George Weah, a former AC Milan forward, to become the first non-European player to win the award in 1995, followed by Brazilian stars such as Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and Kaká. Afterward, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominated the Ballon d'Or, with the former winning it five times and the latter seven (a record).
- **Compensating Pelé**
"France Football" attempted to correct its oversight in denying Pelé and other legends the Ballon d'Or by reviewing history and granting these stars their due recognition lost due to the previous rules. In 1999, Pelé was awarded a prize similar to the Ballon d'Or as the best player of the 20th century.
