The Don Balón Award winners is an annual prize awarded to the best Spanish and foreign footballers as well as the best breakthrough player, coach and referee in La Liga. Since its inception in 1975, it has recognized the standout performers in Spanish football each season. This article profiles every winner.
1975-76 Season
The inaugural winners were Migueli for best Spanish player, Johan Cruyff for best foreign player, and Luis Aragonés for best coach. Migueli was a talented midfielder for Barcelona while Cruyff was terrorizing defenses for the same team. Aragonés led Atlético Madrid to a third place finish.
1976-77 Season
Migueli won his second consecutive best Spanish player award while Netherlands international Johan Cruyff won best foreign player for Barcelona again. Luis Molowny received best breakthrough player for his performances for Real Madrid.
1977-78 Season
Migueli won a third time in this category, with Netherlands legend Johan Cruyff claiming best foreign player with Barcelona. Spain manager Luis Clemente won best coach for his work with Athletic Bilbao.
1978-79 Season
This season saw Juan Barbas win best Spanish player for Zaragoza and Javier Clemente take best coach for Bilbao once more. Best foreign player went to Dutchman Johnny Rep for Barcelona.
1979-80 Season
Santillana claimed the award for best Spanish player with Real Madrid. Best foreign player was again from the Netherlands, with Jan Poortvliet winning it. Migueli won best coach for Sporting Gijon.
1980-81 Season
This season, Juan Gómez González won best Spanish player for Sporting Gijon. Best foreign player was German striker Karl-Heinz Rummenigge previously of Bayern Munich, who was at Barcelona. Best breakthrough player was Butragueño of Real Madrid.
1981-82 Season
Real Madrid’s Juan Gómez González won best Spanish player again. Best foreign player was German striker Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for a second time with Barcelona. Miguel Muñoz won best coach for Real Madrid.
1982-83 Season
Manuel Cervantes won best Spanish player for Murcia. Best foreign player was Argentine Juan Barbas for Zaragoza. Javier Clemente won best coach for a third time, now with Athletic Bilbao.
1983-84 Season
Cervantes retained the best Spanish player award, while Juan Barbas won best foreign player again with Zaragoza. Clemente won best coach for a fourth time with Bilbao.
1984-85 Season
Migueli won best Spanish player for a fourth time, with Barcelona. German midfielder Bernd Schuster won best foreign player with the Catalans. Terry Venables won best coach in his first season with Barcelona.
1985-86 Season
Real Madrid’s Míchel won best Spanish player. Argentine forward Jorge Valdano won best foreign player for Real Madrid. Welshman John Toshack won best coach for Real Sociedad.
1986-87 Season
This season, Real Madrid’s Emilio Butragueño won best Spanish player. Cameroonian striker Roger Milla won best foreign player for Barcelona. Victoriano Sánchez Arminio won best referee.
1987-88 Season
Real Madrid’s Emilio Butragueño won best Spanish player for a second time. Belgian midfielder Jan Ceulemans won best foreign player for Barcelona. Juan José López Caro won best coach for Real Madrid.
1988-89 Season
Real Madrid’s Emilio Butragueño won an unprecedented third consecutive best Spanish player award. German striker Karl-Heinz Riedle won best foreign player, playing for Real Sociedad. Belgian Raymond Goethals won best coach for Marseille.
1989-90 Season
Real Madrid’s Rafael Martín Vázquez won best Spanish player. Mexican striker Hugo Sánchez won best foreign player, staying in Madrid but switching to rivals Atlético. Delfí Geli won best breakthrough player with Albacete. Dutch legend Johan Cruyff won best coach in his second stint with Barcelona.
1990-91 Season
This season, Juan Carlos Valerón won best Spanish player for Deportivo La Coruña. Romanian Ilie Dumitrescu won best foreign player for Deportivo as well. Raúl won best breakthrough player with Real Madrid. Radomir Antić won best coach for Real Madrid.
1991-92 Season
Real Madrid’s Manuel Sanchís won best Spanish player. Yugoslavian striker Darko Pančev won best foreign player for Real Madrid. Michael Laudrup won best coach for Barcelona.
1992-93 Season
Deportivo La Coruña’s Fran González won best Spanish player. Yugoslavian midfielder Miroslav Đukić won best foreign player and coach Julen Guerrero won for Athletic Bilbao. Arsenio Iglesias won best referee.
1993-94 Season
Athletic Bilbao’s Julen Guerrero won best Spanish player. Bulgarian striker Hristo Stoichkov won best foreign player, staying with title winners Barcelona. Sergi won best breakthrough player with Barcelona. Víctor Fernández won best coach with Real Zaragoza. Antonio López Nieto won best referee.
1994-95 Season
Real Madrid’s José Amavisca won best Spanish player. Chilean striker Iván Zamorano won best foreign player, joining Real Madrid from Sevilla. Raúl won best breakthrough player with Los Blancos. Arsenio Iglesias won best coach for a second time with Deportivo. Arturo Daudén Ibáñez won best referee.
1995-96 Season
Atlético Madrid’s José Luis Caminero won best Spanish player. Yugoslavian midfielder Predrag Mijatović won best foreign player, playing for Valencia. Barcelona’s Iván de la Peña won best breakthrough player. Radomir Antić won best coach for a second time, now with Atlético Madrid. Antonio López Nieto won best referee again.
1996-97 Season
Real Madrid’s Raúl won best Spanish player. Brazilian striker Ronaldo won best foreign player in his sole season with Barcelona before moving to Inter Milan. Valladolid’s Víctor won best breakthrough player. Argentine Vicente Cantatore won best coach with Valladolid. Manuel Mejuto González won best referee.
1997-98 Season
Real Betis’s Alfonso won best Spanish player. Brazilian midfielder Rivaldo won best foreign player with Barcelona. Barcelona’s Albert Celades won best breakthrough player. Javier Irureta
won best coach with Celta Vigo. José María García-Aranda won best referee.
1998-99 Season
Raúl won best Spanish player for Real Madrid. Portuguese winger Luís Figo won best foreign player with Barcelona. Barcelona’s Xavi won best breakthrough player. Argentine Héctor Cúper won best coach with Mallorca. Manuel Mejuto González won best referee again.
1999-2000 Season
Raúl won best Spanish player for Real Madrid again. Luís Figo won best foreign player with Barcelona again. Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas won best breakthrough player. Javier Irureta won best coach with Deportivo. Antonio López Nieto won best referee.
2000-01 Season
Raúl won an unprecedented fifth best Spanish player award with Real Madrid. Luís Figo won best foreign player, having moved to rivals Real Madrid. Barcelona’s Carles Puyol won best breakthrough player. Mané won best coach with Alavés. José María García-Aranda won best referee.
2001-02 Season
Raúl won best Spanish player for a sixth time with Real Madrid. French midfielder Zinedine Zidane won best foreign player in his first season with Los Blancos. Real Betis’s Joaquín won best breakthrough player. Rafael Benítez won best coach with Valencia. Antonio López Nieto won best referee again.
2002-03 Season
Real Sociedad’s Xabi Alonso won best Spanish player. Turkish midfielder Nihat Kahveci won best foreign player, also playing for Real Sociedad. Barcelona’s Brazilian youngster Thiago Motta won best breakthrough player. Frenchman Raynald Denoueix won best coach with Real Sociedad. Manuel Mejuto González won best referee.
2003-04 Season
Valencia’s Vicente won best Spanish player. Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho won best foreign player in his first season with Barcelona. Sevilla’s Brazilian youngster Júlio Baptista won best breakthrough player. Javier Irureta won best coach for a second time, now with Deportivo.
2004-2005 Season
Andrés Iniesta claimed the award for best Spanish player after helping Barcelona win both La Liga and the Champions League. Ronaldinho continued his Ballon d’Or caliber form by winning best foreign player with the Catalan giants. Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos took home best breakthrough player. Luis Aragonés was named best coach for his work leading the Spanish national team.
2005-2006 Season
Barcelona teammates Xavi and Samuel Eto’o won best Spanish player and best foreign player respectively. Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, then just breaking through, was recognized as the best breakthrough talent. Frank Rijkaard received best coach for maintaining Barcelona’s domestic dominance.
2006-2007 Season
Playmaker Xavi won his third straight best Spanish player award. Kaká, in the midst of his Ballon d’Or season with AC Milan, claimed best foreign player. Cesc Fàbregas won best breakthrough player for his early success at Arsenal. Bernd Schuster won best coach in his sole season with Real Madrid.
2007-2008 Season
Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas won best Spanish player. Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, then just beginning his rise to stardom, took best foreign player. Atlético Madrid’s Sergio Agüero was named best breakthrough youngster. Bernd Schuster won his second best coach award, this time with Getafe.
2008-2009 Season
Xavi won an unprecedented fourth best Spanish player award. Lionel Messi followed Cristiano Ronaldo by winning his first best foreign player trophy with Barcelona. Villareal’s Borja Valero was the standout rookie. Pep Guardiola’s trophy-laden first season in charge of Barcelona earned him best coach.
2009-2010 Season
Xavi captured his record fifth best Spanish player honor. Lionel Messi repeated as best foreign player. Mallorca’s Borja Valero won his second straight best breakthrough player award. Manuel Pellegrini won his only best coach award leading Real Madrid.
The Don Balón Award award winners during this period highlighted the rise of Spanish stars like Xavi, foreign greats like Ronaldinho and Messi, and the coaching success of Guardiola and others. Barcelona and Real Madrid’s players dominated the individual prizes.
