The Ballon d’Or is unarguably the most prestigious individual accolade to win in all of men’s football. The trophy which has been won by 45 individual players to date, has seen the likes of Lionel Messi, Hristo Stoichkov, Alfredo Di Stefano and many other greats of the game claim the coveted prize.
Yet, as you marvel at their achievements season-after-season, you may find yourself wondering how the winner of the Ballon d’Or is ultimately ‘decided’. If that’s the case then read on, as in this article, we unravel the entire process behind the Ballon d’Or, shedding light on the steps taken to determine the winner.
How the voting process works
The Ballon d’Or is determined through a voting process that involves a selected panel of international journalists and prominent coaches. The coaches and journalists whom are representing various football publications from around the world e.g. Marca and World Soccer, are tasked with selecting the best male player of the year.
The first step in the Ballon d’Or voting process is the nomination phase. France Football, the magazine that organises and founded the award, compiles a list of 30 nominees based on players’ performances throughout the calendar year. The nominees are selected, considering their achievements in domestic leagues, international competitions, and individual performances.
Once the list of nominees is finalized, the voting period begins. The panel of journalists and coaches are provided with the opportunity to cast their votes and each journalist is allowed to name their top five players, ranking them in order of preference. The first-ranked player receives five points, the second-ranked player receives four points, and so on.
The votes are collected and tabulated by France Football and the individual votes of the journalists/coaches are kept confidential until the final results are revealed. This ensures that the voting is unbiased and is based solely on the journalists’ and coaches’ assessments of the players’ performances.
After the voting period concludes, the votes are tallied, and the player with the highest cumulative points is declared the winner of the Ballon d’Or. The announcement is made during an award ceremony, which is usually held towards the end of the year. The winner is presented with the iconic Ballon d’Or trophy, a golden ball mounted on a pedestal, symbolizing their exceptional achievements.
