What is the Ballon d'Or, and who decides who wins it?

The Ballon d'Or, French for "Golden Ball", is an annual football award given by the French magazine France Football since 1956 to the player judged to have performed best over the previous season. It is widely regarded as the most prestigious individual award in football, and until 2006 it was based exclusively on voting by football journalists.

It was conceived by two sports writers, Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran. Hanot had an eventful life: a First World War pilot, he was shot down and captured by the Germans three times and escaped each time. Later, as a journalist, he came up with the idea of a European Cup for clubs, which became the Champions League. The Ballon d'Or was another of his creations.

Voters are asked to weigh three criteria: individual performances, team performances and achievements, and class and fair play. Lionel Messi holds the record with eight wins, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five. As of the 69th edition, in 2025, the holder is Ousmane Dembélé.

The rules have not stood still. Since 2022 the award follows a football season instead of a calendar year, decided by a jury of journalists, one per country from the top 100 of FIFA's men's ranking. Since 2024 UEFA has co-organized the gala, while France Football keeps the voting system and the name.