The Ballon d'Or explained: how football's biggest individual prize works

The Ballon d'Or is the most coveted individual honour in football — the award that crowns the best player on the planet for a season. Here's how it works.

What it is

The Ballon d'Or (French for "Golden Ball") has been awarded by the magazine France Football since 1956. Originally it recognised the best European player; over the decades the eligibility widened until, today, any player at any club worldwide can win it.

Who votes

The winner is chosen by a panel of specialist football journalists — one representing each of a set of ranked countries. Each voter selects their top players in order, and points are assigned to those rankings. The player with the most points wins. Because journalists decide, the award reflects a broad consensus rather than one body's opinion.

The criteria

Voters are asked to weigh three things:

1. Individual performances and decisive impact over the season.

2. Team achievements — major trophies won.

3. Class and fair play — the player's overall standing in the game.

That mix is why a brilliant individual season can still lose out to a player who also won the biggest trophies — and why the debate is never settled.

Beyond the main award

The ceremony now hands out several trophies on the same night, including:

• The women's Ballon d'Or (since 2018)
• The Kopa Trophy for the best young player (under 21)
• The Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper

Why it matters

A Ballon d'Or defines a career. For two decades the award was dominated by an era of generational greats, which only sharpened its prestige. Win it, and you are officially, for that year, the best in the world — and the arguments about whether you deserved it are part of the fun.

Track the players and teams in contention across our competitions and rankings.

FAQ

What period does the Ballon d'Or cover?

Since 2022 the award has been judged on the football season (roughly August to July) rather than the calendar year. That change aligned the vote with how trophies are actually won, so a Champions League triumph in May and the season's league titles all fall inside a single award window.

Who has won the most Ballons d'Or?

Lionel Messi holds the record with eight Ballons d'Or, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo's five. Between them the two dominated the award for more than a decade, which is a big part of why their era is treated as a benchmark for individual greatness.

Can a goalkeeper or defender win the Ballon d'Or?

Yes, though it's rare. Lev Yashin (1963) remains the only goalkeeper to win it, while defenders such as Franz Beckenbauer, Matthias Sammer and Fabio Cannavaro (2006) have also taken the prize. Attacking players dominate because goals and assists are the most visible measure of "decisive impact."

Is the Ballon d'Or the same as FIFA's The Best award?

No — they are separate awards run by different organisations. France Football and FIFA merged them into the "FIFA Ballon d'Or" between 2010 and 2015, but they split again in 2016, and FIFA now runs The Best as its own ceremony with a different voting panel that includes coaches, captains and fans.

When is the Ballon d'Or awarded?

The ceremony is traditionally held in the autumn — usually in September or October in Paris — once the previous season's window has closed and votes have been counted. Nominee shortlists are published a few weeks before the gala.