The Ballon d’Or, one of the most prestigious individual awards in football, is awarded annually to the best male and female footballers in the world. Organized by the French magazine France Football, the Ballon d’Or has been a hallmark of excellence in football.
But how exactly is the winner of this coveted trophy decided?
The Selection ProcessThe process begins with a shortlist. France Football compiles a list of nominees for both the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or, typically consisting of 30 players for the men and 20 for the women. The selection is based on performances over the previous season, rather than the calendar year. Key factors include individual performances, team success (both at the club and international level), and fair play.
The JuryOnce the shortlist is released, the responsibility of selecting the winner falls to a panel of international journalists. Each participating country gets one vote, with a designated football journalist casting it. For the men’s award, this jury is composed of representatives from 100 highest-ranked countries in the FIFA World Rankings, while the women’s Ballon d’Or jury includes representatives from 50 nations.
The Voting SystemEach member of the jury ranks their top five players from the shortlist, awarding points to their choices. The first-choice player receives six points, second place gets four points, third gets three, and the fourth and fifth picks receive two and one point, respectively. These points are then tallied to determine the overall winner. The player with the most points is crowned the Ballon d’Or winner.
In the case of a tie, the player with the most first-place votes is given the award. If the tie persists, the number of second-place votes is considered, and so on until a winner emerges.
Criteria for Judgement:- Individual performance in the previous season (no longer by calendar year).
- Team success during the previous season.
- Player behavior and fair play during the season.
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