The FIFA Ballon d'Or (French pronunciation: [balɔ̃ dɔʁ], "Golden Ball") is an annual association football award given to the world's best male player by the sport's governing body, FIFA, and the French publication France Football since 2010. It is awarded based on votes from international media representatives and national team coaches and captains, who select the player they deem to have performed the best in the previous calendar year. A fusion between the former Ballon d'Or and the men's FIFA World Player of the Year award, the FIFA Ballon d'Or is considered the most prestigious individual award in world football.
Since its inception, the FIFA Ballon d'Or has been dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, as part of their ongoing rivalry. Barcelona's Messi won the inaugural Ballon d'Or, before reclaiming the title the following two years and again in 2015. Ronaldo, who plays for Real Madrid, won two successive awards in the intervening years.
Background
Prior to 2010, the leading individual awards in association football were the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award.[1][2] The original Ballon d'Or, also known as the European Footballer of the Year award, had been awarded by the French publication France Football since 1956. European sports journalists invited by France Football selected the recipients from among European or Europe-based players. The FIFA World Player of the Year award, presented by the governing body FIFA from 1991, was international in scope. Winners were chosen by the national team coaches and captains under FIFA's jurisdiction.[3]
From 2005, the winners of the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award were identical each year. Following the introduction of a global Ballon d'Or format in 2007, France Football and FIFA opted to merge the two awards. The creation of the FIFA Ballon d'Or was subsequently announced during the FIFA World Cup held in South Africa in 2010.[3] The inaugural award was presented that same year to the Argentine Lionel Messi.[4] For historical purposes, both organisations regard the FIFA Ballon d'Or as a continuation of their respective former awards.[5][6] The FIFA World Player of the Year award continues as a women's-only award.[7]
The winner of the FIFA Ballon d'Or is chosen by international media representatives and national team coaches and captains.[3] In a voting system based on positional voting, each voter is allotted three votes, worth five points, three points and one point, and the three finalists are ordered based on total number of points. Voters are provided with a shortlist from which they can select the three players they deem to have performed the best in the previous calendar year.[7]
Winners
Wins by player
Wins by country
Wins by club
| # |
Club |
First place |
Second place |
Third place |
| 1 |
 Barcelona |
4 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015) |
3 (2010, 2013, 2014) |
4 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015) |
| 2 |
Real Madrid |
2 (2013, 2014) |
3 (2011, 2012, 2015) |
0 |
| 3 |
 Bayern Munich |
0 |
0 |
2 (2013, 2014) |
See also
References
- Notes
- ↑ FIFA and France Football credit Messi, the recipient of the 2009 Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award, with five Ballons d'Or in total.[5][6] Messi additionally placed as a finalist for both awards in 2007 and 2008.
- ↑ FIFA and France Football credit Ronaldo, the recipient of the 2008 Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award, with three Ballons d'Or in total.[5][6] Ronaldo additionally placed as a finalist for both awards in 2007 and 2009.
- Citations
External links
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Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 
Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich)
Neymar (Barcelona)
