Definition
An award given each year to the best male and female footballer for the previous year. It is presented by France Football magazine and voted for by one representative journalist from each country inside the FIFA top 100 rankings. The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious individual award in football. It began in 1955 as an award for the best European player but expanded to include any player based in Europe in 1995 and then to any player in the World in 2007. The Ballon d'Or Féminin was first awarded in 2018 and is now a central part of the big gala awards night each year. To win a Ballon d'Or marks you down as an all-time great.
After years of back and forth between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (13 wins between them over 15 years) the men’s award has opened back up in recent years, Harry Kane winning it in 2026. Spanish players have dominated the Ballon d'Or Féminin, winning 6 in a row between 2021 and 2026, Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas with 3 wins apiece..
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