Ballon d’Or – How Is The Winner Picked And Who Will Win in 2025?

To be known as the best footballer on the planet is something many fantasise about. However, for an elite few in the sport, it could become a reality.

Out of the thirty who are nominated each year, only one can be awarded the Ballon d’Or.

The award was established in 1956 by France Football magazine and initially, only European players were eligible to win the award.

That all changed in 1995 when the criteria was expanded to include players from any nationality, provided they played for a European club.

Realising that there were some great players outside of Europe, the rules changed again in 2007, and since that time, any player worldwide has been eligible.

From 2010 to 2015, the Ballon d’Or was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year, known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or.

It then reverted back to the original Ballon d’Or in 2016, run solely by France Football.

So with thousands of footballers around the world, and if anybody can win it, how do the players get whittled down and the winner eventually chosen?

How the Winner of the Ballon d’Or is Decided

The process for deciding the winner of the Ballon d’Or is quite detailed and involves a few key steps:

Selection of the Jury

First up is selecting a panel of international journalists who will then cast their votes.

These journalists are typically football experts from various countries, representing a wide range of regions to ensure a diverse and balanced perspective.

Over the years, this has included high-profile writers such as Henry Winter (The Times UK), Gabriel Hanot (France Football), Rob Hughes (International Herald Tribune USA), and Paolo Condo (La Gazzetta dello Sport Italy).

Nomination of Candidates

France Football, the organisation behind the Ballon d’Or, compiles a list of nominees.

This list usually includes around 30 players who have had exceptional performances over the past year.

Voting Process

Each journalist on the panel then receives the list of nominees and is asked to select their top five players.

The voting is confidential to ensure unbiased choices, and journalists rank their choices from first to fifth.

The ranking is important because it determines the number of points each player receives.

Points Allocation

Points are awarded based on the ranking each journalist gives:

• First place: 6 points
• Second place: 4 points
• Third place: 3 points
• Fourth place: 2 points
• Fifth place: 1 point

Tallying the Votes

After all the votes are submitted, France Football tallies the points. Each player’s total points from all the journalists’ votes are added up.

Announcement of the Winner

The player with the highest total points is declared the winner of the Ballon d’Or.

In the event of a tie, additional criteria or votes may be used to determine the winner.

Who is Predicted to Win in 2025?

Here’s the thing about the Ballon d’Or, it doesn’t matter how well you play for your club, if you win nothing then the chances are this award is off the table as well.

That said, Mohamed Salah from Liverpool FC is currently the top contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

He will have some tough competition from the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Vinicius Jr, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé, to name just a few.

Right now, we are about 10 months away from any decision and with plenty of football left in the various seasons around the world, anything can happen between now and then.

The Ballon d’Or is awarded to the best football player for a season, not a calendar year, so by the end of May we should have a better idea of who has played out of their skin.

An international jury of journalists from the top 100 FIFA Men’s World Ranking countries determines the winner.

When is the Ballon d’Or Ceremony in 2025?

The date has been set with the great and the good of the footballing world poised to converge on Monday 27th October 2025, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in, Paris, France.

You’ll have to check closer to the time to see which TV channels in your country will be broadcasting it but if you have a few quid to spare you could always attend in person.

Tickets are a snip at £7,999 plus VAT for a Premium+ Ticket on the 1st floor located in Corbeille.

But if that doesn’t quite do it for you, how about VIP Seats on the 1st floor located in Orchestra for just £12,999 plus VAT. (ridiculous!)

Who Won In 2024?

The date was set with the great and the good of the footballing world converging on Monday 28th October 2024, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in, Paris, France.

Rodri, the Spanish midfielder from Manchester City, won the 2024 Ballon d’Or, marking a historic moment as he became the first defensive midfielder to win the prestigious award in decades.

Several factors contributed to his victory, not least of which was his crucial role in Manchester City’s fourth consecutive Premier League title win.

He also helped the team secure the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

Rodri was instrumental in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, where he was named Player of the Tournament plus he went on an incredible 74-game unbeaten run for club and country from March 2023 to May 2024.

Many fellow players and coaches, including Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, considered Rodri the best player in the world.

Rodri’s victory was seen as a recognition of the evolving role of defensive midfielders in modern football and a departure from the traditional bias towards attacking players in individual awards.

Criteria Considered by Journalists

When selecting their top five players, journalists typically consider several factors:

• Individual Performance: The player’s skill, consistency, and impact in matches throughout the year.
• Team Success: Achievements with club and national teams, such as winning major tournaments like the UEFA Champions League, domestic leagues, or the FIFA World Cup.
• Sportsmanship and Fair Play: The player’s conduct on and off the field.
• Career Achievements: While the focus is on the past year, a player’s overall career achievements can sometimes influence votes.

Who Has Won The Ballon d’Or The Most Times?

It should come as no surprise to anybody who knows anything about football that Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or more times than any other player.

In fact, he has won a record EIGHT times in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023.

There’s no disputing that he is one of the world’s greatest footballers, but there have been one or two occasions when other players really should have pipped him to the post.

After all, Robert Lewandowski has arguably been as good as, if not better, than Messi some years and really should have been given the Ballon d’Or at least once.

After Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or five times. His first win was in 2008 when playing for Manchester United and all subsequent wins (2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017) were when he was with Real Madrid.

In 2017, Real Madrid won La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup, with Ronaldo scoring 44 goals in all competitions.

To top it off, Portugal also qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Since 2008 only two other players, aside from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have won the Ballon d’Or, and they are Luka Modrić in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022.

But with neither player really in contention in 2024, the award looks like it’s going to find a new home. So who is in contention, and who do the bookies think has a shot of winning?

Every Ballon d’Or Winner Since 1956

2025 will see the 69th ceremony take place so we’ve compiled a handy table below so that you can see every single winner since 1956!

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