| 1956 Ballon d'Or | |
|---|---|
 1956 Ballon d'Or winner Stanley Matthews in 1962 | |
| Date | 18 December 1956 |
| Location | Paris, France |
| Presented by | France Football |
| Highlights | |
| Won by |  Stanley Matthews (1st award) |
| Website | francefootball.fr/ballon-d-or |
The 1956 Ballon d'Or was the inaugural Ballon d'Or award given to the best football player in Europe as judged by a panel of sports journalists from UEFA member countries. [1] Stanley Matthews received the award on 18 December 1956. [2] [3]
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