How Is the Ballon d'Or Decided? Voting, Rules and History
The Ballon d'Or ("Golden Ball") is football's most famous individual award. The winner is chosen by a vote of journalists from the top 100 nations in the FIFA men's ranking. Each journalist ranks ten players from a shortlist, and the player with the most points wins.
How the voting works
- Shortlist: the organisers publish a list of nominated players, usually 30 men.
- Voting: each journalist picks their top 10 from the list.
- Points: first place earns 15 points, followed by 12, 10, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1.
- Result: all points are added together, and the highest total wins.
If players finish level on points, a tie-break based on how highly they were placed on the voters' ballots separates them.
What are voters asked to consider?
- Individual performances and how decisive and impressive a player has been.
- Team performances and the trophies won.
- Class and fair play.
Since the rules changed in 2022, voters judge a player's performance over the football season, from about August to July, rather than a calendar year. The change was intended to make the assessment more coherent.
A short history
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1956 | Created by the French magazine France Football. The first winner was England's Stanley Matthews. |
| 1995 | Non-European players at European clubs became eligible. |
| 2007 | The award opened to players at clubs worldwide. |
| 2010 to 2015 | Merged with FIFA's award as the FIFA Ballon d'Or, with national team coaches and captains also voting. |
| 2016 | The award separated from FIFA, and voting returned to journalists only. |
| 2018 | The first women's Ballon d'Or was awarded, to Norway's Ada Hegerberg. |
| 2024 | UEFA became a co-organiser with the publisher of France Football. |
Who has won the most?
Lionel Messi holds the men's record with eight wins, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five. Together they dominated the award for more than a decade, a period often called the greatest individual rivalry in football.
Other awards at the ceremony
- Women's Ballon d'Or: voted on by journalists from leading nations in the FIFA women's ranking.
- Kopa Trophy: for the best young player.
- Yashin Trophy: for the best goalkeeper.
- Gerd Müller Trophy: for the top goalscorer across club and country.
Why it causes arguments
The Ballon d'Or asks voters to compare players in different positions. Forwards are favoured because goals are easier to see and count, while defenders rarely win. World Cup and Champions League success can also heavily influence voting. Statistics help, but they cannot settle the debate. See how goals and assists are credited and match statistics explained to judge players for yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ballon d'Or a FIFA award?
No. It was created by France Football and today is organised with UEFA. FIFA has its own award, The Best FIFA Football Awards.
Can fans vote?
No. The main award is decided only by the panel of journalists.
Has a goalkeeper ever won?
Yes. Lev Yashin of the Soviet Union won in 1963, and he remains the only goalkeeper to do so.
How can I follow the top scorers?
Each competition's Top Scorer tab on EHScore shows the leading goalscorers, with goals and assists, through the season.