Every October, the Ballon d’Or lights up the soccer world, becoming a huge bone of contention for fans globally as it gears up to crown another superstar. We just saw Ousmane Dembele, last year’s men’s winner, lead Paris Saint-Germain to a second consecutive Champions League title. But don’t think he’s got the 2026 award in the bag: challengers are coming hard thanks to massive performances at the FIFA World Cup. This isn’t just any trophy, folks. This is the big one.
The “Golden Ball” Is the Crown Jewel of World Soccer
Let’s break down why this award is such a massive deal. The Ballon d’Or, or “Golden Ball” in French, isn’t just another trophy; it is the most prestigious individual award in world soccer. It’s designed to recognize the best male and female players across the globe from the *previous* season. Think about it: names like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, and Zinedine Zidane are all on that list. That’s elite company.
The award first kicked off way back in 1956, launched by French publication France Football, and it’s been given out every single year since, except for a pause in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Can you believe it? The 2027 event will mark the 70th edition of the men’s award. And get this: in 2018, they introduced the Ballon d’Or Feminin, finally honoring the best female player in the world. It was about time, right?
How The World’s Best Player Gets Crowned
So, how exactly does someone win this ultimate individual prize? It’s a serious process. France Football puts together a panel of international journalists who come up with the 30 finalists for the men’s Ballon d’Or. They also create the Yashin Award shortlist for the world’s best goalkeeper.
The voting rules got an overhaul in 2022 to make things even fairer. Now, a media member from each of the top 100 nations in the FIFA men’s world ranking gets to vote for the men’s award, and the top 50 nations for the women’s vote. These media members don’t just pick a name; they rank their selections, and each vote is weighted with different point totals. After all the ballots are tallied, the player with the most points takes home the Golden Ball.
Eligibility for the award has changed over the years too. Back in 1956, it was only for European players. Then in 1995, they opened it up to non-Europeans playing in Europe. But by 2007, they made the logical move to expand it even further, allowing *any* player from *anywhere* in the world to be eligible. The voting criteria also got a major update in 2022. They scrapped considering a player’s overall career performance, which apparently skewed the 2021 vote for Lionel Messi. Now, the focus is squarely on three main factors from the previous season: individual performance, team success, and, crucially, player behavior and fair play. It’s about who was the absolute best in that specific season, not their whole career.
The Ballon d’Or is widely considered the most prestigious individual accolade a soccer player can earn. With the 2026 award ceremony happening right now, fans are on the edge of their seats to see who joins the legends on that incredible list. Who do you think deserves it this year? The arguments are just getting started!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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