𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The Ballon d’Or was conceived by sports writers Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran as an award to present the best player in Europe.

Until 2006, it was based exclusively on voting from journalists, and until 1995 it was only open to players from Europe, hence the absence of notable would-be winners including Pele and Diego Maradona.

The award was first given in 1956, with Blackpool’s Stanley Matthews the inaugural winner ahead of Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano.

The women’s version of the Ballon d’or was first awarded in 2018, with Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg winning the inaugural award.

USA World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe won the award in 2019, and since then it has been dominated by Spanish players, with Alexia Putellas winning twice before Aitana Bonmati took over as the best women’s player in the world.

Bonmati is bidding to make it three straight wins in 2025, though Spain and Barca teammate Putellas played her way into consideration and England’s Champions League and Euros winner Alessia Russo will also be in the running.

Lionel Messi currently holds the record for the most Ballons d’Or, having won eight between 2009 and 2023.

Cristiano Ronaldo is second, having won five between 2007 and 2017.

Players to have won the award more than once include Johan Cruyff (three), Marco van Basten (three), Michel Platini (three), Ronaldo (two), Franz Beckenbauer (two) and Kevin Keegan (two).

• 2024: Rodri
• 2023: Lionel Messi
• 2022: Karim Benzema
• 2021: Lionel Messi
• 2019: Lionel Messi

• 2024: Aitana Bonmati
• 2023: Aitana Bonmati
• 2022: Alexia Putellas
• 2021: Alexia Putellas
• 2019: Megan Rapinoe

The Ballon d’Or nominees will be announced today, with the ceremony in a month’s time on 22 September.

The glitzy gala will take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, with Uefa linking up with Groupe Amaury and L’Équipe to put on the prestigious annual awards.

The committee, consisting of journalists from France Football and L’Equipe, select 30 names.

When the two lists have been confirmed, one football journalist from each of the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations will submit their votes for the top 10 players.

The top 10 consists of a points system, which will be accumulated to crown the winner:

• First Place: 15 points
• Second Place: 12 points
• Third place: 10 points
• Fourth place: 8 points
• Fifth place: 7 points
• Sixth place: 5 points
• Seventh place: 4 points
• Eighth place: 3 points
• Ninth place: 2 points
• Tenth place: 1 point