- There has only ever been one winner of the Super Ballon d'Or trophy
- It was awarded to the best-performing player from over a three decade spell
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The Ballon d'Or award is commonly seen as the most prestigious prize that can be handed out in football.
However, there is an award which even tops that and has only been handed out to one player in the sport's history.
The Super Ballon d'Or was introduced in 1989 by France Football, and to this day has still not been handed out again.
Instead of recognising the best-performing player from the past year, the organisers decided to reward the greatest player from the past three decades - which would have stemmed from 1959 to 1989.
Though the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona played in that era, it was a former Real Madrid star who took the prestigious award.
Alfredo Di Stefano (right) is the only ever player to win the Super Ballon d'Or trophy (left)
Only European players were eligible which was why Pele and Diego Maradona were not in the running for the award
Di Stefano (seen scoring in the 1960 European Cup final) was born in Argentina but gained citizenship with Spain which was why he qualified for the trophy
Alfredo Di Stefano received the trophy, after previously winning the Ballon d'Or in 1957 and 1959.
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Only European players were in contention for the award - which was why the likes of Pele and Maradona were not eligible.
Di Stefano was born in Argentina and even played six times for the country - including in the 1947 South American Championship.
However, he later went onto represent Colombia and then Spain, earning citizenship with the latter that qualified him for the trophy.
Despite playing for three countries during his career, he never played at a World Cup.
Johan Cryuff and Michel Platini were also among the nominees for the Super Ballon d'Or award.
The trophy itself looked similar to the Ballon d'Or, with the main difference being the gold mini footballs at the base.
For many years the award was located at the Real Madrid Museum at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Lionel Messi would be a favourite for the award if it returned in the coming years
Di Stefano died in 2014 and his award was sold at an auction seven years later for £187,500
That was until it went to auction in London in September 2021 as part of a 'Property from the estate of Alfredo Di Stefano event' and was sold for £187,500.
A separate 'Golden Ballon d'Or award' was dished out in 1995 to Maradona, which recognised non-European stars.
If the Super Ballon d'Or award made a return soon, then the most likely winner would be Lionel Messi - after his stunning eight Ballon d'Or trophies.
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