| KARIM | French footballer awarded the Ballon d'Or on 17 October, 2022 (5,7) |
| BENZEMA | French footballer awarded the Ballon d'Or on 17 October, 2022 (5,7) |
| GIANNIRIVERA | Italian former footballer, awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1969, who became an MEP |
| LIONELMESSI | Argentinian footballer awarded the Ballon d'Or a record six times |
| NEVES | President-elect of Cape Verde since 17 October 2021, succeeding Jorge Carlos Fonseca (4,5,5) |
| JOSEMARIA | President-elect of Cape Verde since 17 October 2021, succeeding Jorge Carlos Fonseca (4,5,5) |
| GEORGE | With 28-Across: directing legend who will receive an honorary Palme d'or on Saturday, May 25, at the Closing Ceremony of the 77th Festival de Cannes |
| BELLINGHAM | Jude _, English footballer awarded La Liga Player of the Season 2023-24 (10) |
| PLATINI | Michel ___, French footballer who won the Ballon d'Or three years in a row, 1983-85 |
| CRUYFF | Dutch footballer who won the Ballon d'Or three times in the 1970s (6) |
| BEST | George -, winner of the Ballon d'Or as European Footballer of the Year 1968 (4) |
| OWEN | Who was the last English footballer to win the Ballon d'Or? (4) |
| ANNIEERNAUX | French writer awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature on 6 October 2022 (5,6) |
| LUKA | Croatian footballer who in 2018 became the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or in more than a decade (4,6) |
| MODRIC | Croatian footballer who in 2018 became the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or in more than a decade (4,6) |
| LUKAMODRIC | Croatian footballer who in 2018 became the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or in more than a decade |
| KEVINKEEGAN | Footballer who won the Ballon d'Or in 1978 and 1979 (5,6) |
| MICHEL | ___ Platini French former soccer player who has won the Ballon d'Or trophy three times |
| ALEXIA | Spanish footballer and two-time winner of the Ballon d'Or Feminin, _ Putellas (6) |
| DENISLAW | Late Scottish footballer who won the Ballon d'Or in 1964 (5,3) |
