Has Neymar ever won the Ballon d'Or? Brazil forward's all-time career results, finishes in award race

The Ballon d'Or ceremony for 2025 takes place on Monday, September 22 in Paris.

The ceremony to recognise the finest male and female players and coaches over the past season is expected to see a new figure lift the famous men's trophy.

Rodri was a surprise victor a year ago after early suggestions that Vinicius Junior would win. It led to Real Madrid staging an ugly boycott of the event as a mark of protest, despite the fact the winner had helped Spain to triumph at Euro 2024.

In 2025, it is likely that we will see another first-time winner join the greats to get their hands on the trophy. Does that group include Neymar, the country's all-time leading male goal scorer and most expensive player in history?

The Sporting News looks at his previous best Ballon d'Or finishes.

MORE: All-time Ballon d'Or winners | How the winner is decided

Has Neymar ever won the Ballon d'Or?

Neymar is one of the most decorated players of the past 15 years, but he has never won the Ballon d'Or.

The Brazilian signed for Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in a €222 million transfer in 2017 that shattered the world transfer record. Part of the reason behind that move was for Neymar to step out from the shadow of eight-time winner Lionel Messi and win a Ballon d'Or of his own. Although he collected several team trophies in Paris, the top individual prize in the game eluded him.

MORE: How many times has Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or?

Neymar's best Ballon d'Or finishes

The closest Neymar has come to winning the Ballon d'Or was in 2015 and 2017, when he came third in the final rankings.

He was first nominated for the prize back in 2011 while he was still at boyhood club Santos. In total, he has received nine nominations for the coveted prize, the last coming in 2021.

Neymar Ballon d'Or rankings by year