Ballon d’Or: 4 French Footballers to win the trophy

Ballon d'Or award
Ballon d'Or award

#2 Jean-Pierre Papin - 1991

Jean Pierre Papin of France
Jean Pierre Papin of France

Jean-Pierre Papin began his French career in the year 1986 and played for the country till 1995 as a forward. During this tenure, he represented France 54 times and scored 30 goals. His goal scoring ability and skillset led the fans to nickname him 'papinades'.

One of the most interesting and striking facts is that Jean-Pierre Papin won the Ballon d'Or trophy while he was playing for the French club Marseille. He remains to be the only football player to win Ballon d'Or award while playing for a French club. The fact that Marseille is the only French club ever to win the Ballon d'Or trophy is all because of Jean-Pierre Papin.

Outside French football, Papin did spend some years of his footballing career at other top European clubs like Bayern Munich and A.C.Milan.But he is always remembered as the French footballer who is the only Ballon d'Or winner with a French club.

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Edited by Sripad
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