Ballon d'Or: Soccer's top individual prize and its storied history

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The Ballon d'Or, awarded annually since 1956 by France Football, is soccer's most prestigious individual honor, recognizing the world's best male and female players. The 2026 men's award faces a competitive race after last year's winner, Ousmane Dembele, saw challengers emerge from the FIFA World Cup. The winner is selected by international journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations for men and top 50 for women, who rank 30 finalists based on individual performance, team success, and fair play from the previous season. The award was expanded to non-Europeans in 1995 and globally in 2007. Lionel Messi holds the record with eight wins, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five. The ceremony also presents the Yashin Trophy for goalkeepers, Kopa Trophy for young players, and coaching and humanitarian awards.


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