Daily Junction.mobi portalSports · July 4, 2026 · Tom Bennett · 7 min
The Ballon d'Or is football's most prestigious individual award — here's how it works, who has won it, and the controversies around it.
The Ballon d'Or (French for "Golden Ball") is football's most prestigious individual award, given annually to the best male footballer in the world. Winning it is the ultimate recognition of individual excellence, and it is the award every player dreams of. Lionel Messi has won it a record 8 times, cementing his status as the greatest player of all time (in the eyes of many). Cristiano Ronaldo has won it 5 times, and the two have dominated the award for over a decade. But the Ballon d'Or is also controversial, with debates over who deserves it, how it is voted on, and whether it is too focused on attacking players. Here is everything you need to know about the Ballon d'Or — what it is, how it works, and who has won it.
The Ballon d'Or is an annual award given to the best male footballer in the world, based on their performances over a calendar year (January–December).
It is awarded by France Football, a French football magazine, and is considered the most prestigious individual award in football (more prestigious than FIFA's The Best award, which was introduced later).
The Ballon d'Or was created in 1956 by France Football journalist Gabriel Hanot. It was originally only open to European players, but in 1995 it was opened to all players playing in Europe. In 2007, it was opened to all players worldwide.
From 2010 to 2015, the Ballon d'Or merged with FIFA's World Player of the Year award to become the FIFA Ballon d'Or. But the partnership ended in 2016, and the awards are now separate again.
The Ballon d'Or trophy is a golden football (soccer ball) on a pyrite base, designed by French sculptor Mellerio dits Meller. It weighs 12 kg and is worth around €3,000.
The Ballon d'Or is voted on by 100 journalists — one from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings. Each journalist ranks their top 10 players, with points awarded as follows:
The player with the most points wins.
Voters are asked to consider three criteria:
But the criteria are vague, and voters interpret them differently. Some prioritise individual stats, others prioritise team success. This leads to controversy.
The Ballon d'Or is based on a calendar year (January–December), not a football season (August–May). This means performances in the second half of one season and the first half of the next season are considered.
For example, the 2023 Ballon d'Or (awarded in October 2023) covered performances from January 2023 to August 2023 (roughly). This includes the end of the 2022–23 season and the start of the 2023–24 season.
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record 8 times:
Messi's dominance is unprecedented. He has been the best player in the world for over a decade, scoring 800+ goals and providing 350+ assists. His 2023 win (for the 2022 World Cup) was controversial, as some argued Erling Haaland (who scored 52 goals for Manchester City and won the treble) deserved it more.
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or 5 times:
Ronaldo is the only player who comes close to Messi. He has scored 850+ goals and won 5 Champions Leagues. The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry has defined football for 15 years, and the debate over who is better will never be settled.
From 2008 to 2023, Messi and Ronaldo won 13 of 16 Ballons d'Or. Only Modrić (2018), Benzema (2022), and the cancelled 2020 award broke their dominance. This is the greatest individual rivalry in sports history.
In 2021, Messi won the Ballon d'Or after winning the Copa América with Argentina. But many argued that Robert Lewandowski deserved it more. Lewandowski scored 69 goals in 2021 (a calendar-year record) and won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.
The controversy was compounded by the fact that the 2020 Ballon d'Or was cancelled due to COVID-19, denying Lewandowski the award in a year when he was clearly the best player (he scored 55 goals in 47 games).
Messi acknowledged the controversy in his acceptance speech, saying Lewandowski deserved the 2020 award.
In 2023, Messi won the Ballon d'Or for winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina. But many argued that Erling Haaland deserved it more. Haaland scored 52 goals for Manchester City and won the treble (Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League).
The controversy centred on whether the World Cup (a one-month tournament) should outweigh a full season of dominance. Messi supporters argued that the World Cup is the pinnacle of football, and Messi was the best player in the tournament. Haaland supporters argued that Haaland was the best player in the world for the entire year.
In 2018, Luka Modrić won the Ballon d'Or after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid and reaching the World Cup final with Croatia. But many argued that Cristiano Ronaldo deserved it more. Ronaldo scored 44 goals and won the Champions League.
The controversy centred on whether team success (World Cup final) should outweigh individual performance (44 goals).
The Ballon d'Or is heavily biased towards attacking players (forwards and attacking midfielders). Only two defenders have won it since 1956: Fabio Cannavaro (2006) and Matthias Sammer (1996). No goalkeeper has won it since Lev Yashin (1963).
This is because goals and assists are easier to measure and more visible than defensive contributions. But it means that first-rate defenders (like Virgil van Dijk, Sergio Ramos, Paolo Maldini) are undervalued.
The voting is transparent (votes are published), but the criteria are vague. Some voters prioritise individual stats, others prioritise team success, and others prioritise narrative (e.g., Messi winning the World Cup). This leads to inconsistency and controversy.
The Women's Ballon d'Or was introduced in 2018, awarded to the best female footballer in the world.
Aitana Bonmatí won in 2023 after winning the World Cup with Spain and the Champions League with Barcelona. She is considered the best female player in the world.
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