What is the Ballon d'Or?
The Ballon d'Or — the "Golden Ball" — is soccer's oldest and best-known individual award, created in 1956 by the French magazine France Football and awarded every year since to the player judged the best in the world. Originally restricted to European players at European clubs, it opened to all players at European clubs in 1995 and to the whole world in 2007. A women's Ballon d'Or has been awarded since 2018, alongside trophies for the best young player, goalkeeper, striker, coach and club.[1] [2]
Who votes?
Accredited sports journalists — one from each of the highest-ranked football nations, a hundred for the men's award and fifty for the women's. Each ranks a published shortlist of thirty nominees, with points weighted by position, and the full ballots are published afterwards. The award has been organised by France Football throughout, latterly with UEFA as a partner and with the European Club Association involved in the nomination process.[1] [3]
Who has won it recently?
At the 69th ceremony, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on 22 September 2025, Ousmane Dembélé of Paris Saint-Germain won the men's award after a treble-winning season that included the club's first Champions League title, and Aitana Bonmatí of Barcelona won the women's award. Viktor Gyökeres took the men's striker prize and Sarina Wiegman was named women's coach of the year.[2] [4]
Why does it matter?
Because in a sport of a quarter of a billion registered players it names one man and one woman per year, chosen by journalists in a hundred countries who cover the game professionally. It is a media award rather than a federation award — The Best FIFA is the governing body's own — but seventy years of continuity have made the Ballon d'Or the reference against which careers in soccer are measured.[1] [2]
References
- France Football / Ballon d'Or — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- Olympics.com — Ballon d'Or 2025: all winners, complete list. Accessed August 2026.
- UEFA — Ballon d'Or partnership. Accessed August 2026.
- Sky Sports — Ballon d'Or 2025: Dembélé and Bonmatí win top prizes. Accessed August 2026.