# Ballon d'Or Explained: What It Is, Who Votes, and Why Messi Has Won It Eight Times > The Ballon d'Or is football's most prestigious individual award — here's how it works, who has won it, and the controversies around it. *Section: Sports — By Tom Bennett (Sports Writer) — Published July 4, 2026 — 7 min read* Canonical URL: https://dailyjunction.org/sports/ballon-dor-award-explained Tags: Ballon d'Or, football awards, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, individual awards, FIFA, France Football ## Key takeaways - The Ballon d'Or is awarded by France Football magazine to the best male footballer in the world, based on votes from 100 journalists (one per country) - Lionel Messi has won it a record 8 times (2009-2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023), while Cristiano Ronaldo has won it 5 times (2008, 2013-2014, 2016-2017) - Voters consider individual performance, team success, and fair play over a calendar year (January-December), not a season - The award has been controversial: Messi's 2021 win over Lewandowski was disputed, and the 2018 win by Modrić broke the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly - Women's Ballon d'Or was introduced in 2018, with Aitana Bonmatí (Spain/Barcelona) winning in 2023 after winning the World Cup and Champions League The **Ballon d'Or** (French for "Golden Ball") is football's most prestigious individual award, given annually to the best male footballer in the world. Winning it is the ultimate recognition of individual excellence, and it is the award every player dreams of. **Lionel Messi** has won it a record **8 times**, cementing his status as the greatest player of all time (in the eyes of many). **Cristiano Ronaldo** has won it **5 times**, and the two have dominated the award for over a decade. But the Ballon d'Or is also controversial, with debates over who deserves it, how it is voted on, and whether it is too focused on attacking players. Here is everything you need to know about the Ballon d'Or — what it is, how it works, and who has won it. ## What Is the Ballon d'Or? The **Ballon d'Or** is an annual award given to the best male footballer in the world, based on their performances over a **calendar year** (January–December). It is awarded by **France Football**, a French football magazine, and is considered the most prestigious individual award in football (more prestigious than FIFA's The Best award, which was introduced later). ### History The Ballon d'Or was created in **1956** by France Football journalist **Gabriel Hanot**. It was originally only open to **European players**, but in **1995** it was opened to all players playing in Europe. In **2007**, it was opened to all players worldwide. From **2010 to 2015**, the Ballon d'Or merged with **FIFA's World Player of the Year** award to become the **FIFA Ballon d'Or**. But the partnership ended in 2016, and the awards are now separate again. ### The trophy The Ballon d'Or trophy is a **golden football** (soccer ball) on a pyrite base, designed by French sculptor **Mellerio dits Meller**. It weighs **12 kg** and is worth around **€3,000**. ## How It Works ### Who votes? The Ballon d'Or is voted on by **100 journalists** — one from each of the **top 100 countries** in the FIFA rankings. Each journalist ranks their **top 10 players**, with points awarded as follows: - **1st place**: 15 points - **2nd place**: 12 points - **3rd place**: 10 points - **4th place**: 8 points - **5th place**: 7 points - **6th–10th place**: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 points The player with the most points wins. ### What do voters consider? Voters are asked to consider three criteria: 1. **Individual performance** — goals, assists, overall play 2. **Team success** — trophies won (Champions League, World Cup, domestic titles) 3. **Fair play and class** — sportsmanship, behaviour on and off the pitch But the criteria are **vague**, and voters interpret them differently. Some prioritise individual stats, others prioritise team success. This leads to controversy. ### Calendar year vs season The Ballon d'Or is based on a **calendar year** (January–December), not a football season (August–May). This means performances in the second half of one season and the first half of the next season are considered. For example, the **2023 Ballon d'Or** (awarded in October 2023) covered performances from **January 2023 to August 2023** (roughly). This includes the end of the 2022–23 season and the start of the 2023–24 season. ## The Winners ### Lionel Messi: 8 wins (record) **Lionel Messi** has won the Ballon d'Or a record **8 times**: - **2009, 2010, 2011, 2012** — Four in a row, during Barcelona's golden era (won 3 Champions Leagues, 4 La Liga titles) - **2015** — Won the treble with Barcelona (Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey) - **2019** — Won La Liga with Barcelona - **2021** — Won the Copa América with Argentina (his first major international trophy) - **2023** — Won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022 (the award was delayed to 2023) Messi's dominance is unprecedented. He has been the best player in the world for over a decade, scoring **800+ goals** and providing **350+ assists**. His 2023 win (for the 2022 World Cup) was controversial, as some argued **Erling Haaland** (who scored 52 goals for Manchester City and won the treble) deserved it more. ### Cristiano Ronaldo: 5 wins **Cristiano Ronaldo** has won the Ballon d'Or **5 times**: - **2008** — Won the Champions League and Premier League with Manchester United - **2013** — Scored 69 goals for Real Madrid - **2014** — Won the Champions League with Real Madrid - **2016** — Won the Champions League and Euro 2016 with Portugal - **2017** — Won the Champions League and La Liga with Real Madrid Ronaldo is the only player who comes close to Messi. He has scored **850+ goals** and won **5 Champions Leagues**. The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry has defined football for 15 years, and the debate over who is better will never be settled. ### Other winners (since 2000) - **Luka Modrić** (2018) — Won the Champions League with Real Madrid and reached the World Cup final with Croatia. Broke the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly. - **Karim Benzema** (2022) — Scored 44 goals for Real Madrid and won the Champions League - **Ronaldo (Brazil)** (2002) — Won the World Cup with Brazil - **Ronaldinho** (2005) — Won the Champions League with Barcelona - **Kaká** (2007) — Won the Champions League with AC Milan ### The Messi-Ronaldo era From **2008 to 2023**, Messi and Ronaldo won **13 of 16 Ballons d'Or**. Only **Modrić (2018)**, **Benzema (2022)**, and **the cancelled 2020 award** broke their dominance. This is the greatest individual rivalry in sports history. ## The Controversies ### 1. Messi vs Lewandowski (2021) In **2021**, Messi won the Ballon d'Or after winning the **Copa América** with Argentina. But many argued that **Robert Lewandowski** deserved it more. Lewandowski scored **69 goals in 2021** (a calendar-year record) and won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. The controversy was compounded by the fact that the **2020 Ballon d'Or was cancelled** due to COVID-19, denying Lewandowski the award in a year when he was clearly the best player (he scored 55 goals in 47 games). Messi acknowledged the controversy in his acceptance speech, saying Lewandowski deserved the 2020 award. ### 2. Messi vs Haaland (2023) In **2023**, Messi won the Ballon d'Or for winning the **2022 World Cup** with Argentina. But many argued that **Erling Haaland** deserved it more. Haaland scored **52 goals** for Manchester City and won the **treble** (Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League). The controversy centred on whether the World Cup (a one-month tournament) should outweigh a full season of dominance. Messi supporters argued that the World Cup is the pinnacle of football, and Messi was the best player in the tournament. Haaland supporters argued that Haaland was the best player in the world for the entire year. ### 3. Modrić vs Ronaldo (2018) In **2018**, **Luka Modrić** won the Ballon d'Or after winning the **Champions League** with Real Madrid and reaching the **World Cup final** with Croatia. But many argued that **Cristiano Ronaldo** deserved it more. Ronaldo scored 44 goals and won the Champions League. The controversy centred on whether team success (World Cup final) should outweigh individual performance (44 goals). ### 4. Bias towards attackers The Ballon d'Or is heavily biased towards **attacking players** (forwards and attacking midfielders). Only **two defenders** have won it since 1956: **Fabio Cannavaro** (2006) and **Matthias Sammer** (1996). No goalkeeper has won it since **Lev Yashin** (1963). This is because goals and assists are easier to measure and more visible than defensive contributions. But it means that world-class defenders (like **Virgil van Dijk**, **Sergio Ramos**, **Paolo Maldini**) are undervalued. ### 5. Voting transparency The voting is **transparent** (votes are published), but the criteria are **vague**. Some voters prioritise individual stats, others prioritise team success, and others prioritise narrative (e.g., Messi winning the World Cup). This leads to inconsistency and controversy. ## The Women's Ballon d'Or The **Women's Ballon d'Or** was introduced in **2018**, awarded to the best female footballer in the world. ### Winners - **2018**: Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon) - **2019**: Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign) - **2020**: Cancelled (COVID-19) - **2021**: Alexia Putellas (Spain/Barcelona) - **2022**: Alexia Putellas (Spain/Barcelona) - **2023**: Aitana Bonmatí (Spain/Barcelona) **Aitana Bonmatí** won in 2023 after winning the **World Cup** with Spain and the **Champions League** with Barcelona. She is considered the best female player in the world. ## Other Ballon d'Or Awards - **Kopa Trophy** (since 2018) — Best player under 21 (won by Jude Bellingham in 2023) - **Yashin Trophy** (since 2019) — Best goalkeeper (won by Emiliano Martínez in 2023) - **Gerd Müller Trophy** (since 2021) — Top scorer (won by Erling Haaland in 2023) - **Sócrates Award** (since 2022) — Best humanitarian work (won by Vinícius Júnior in 2023) ## The Bottom Line The Ballon d'Or is awarded by France Football magazine to the best male footballer in the world, based on votes from 100 journalists (one per country). Lionel Messi has won it a record 8 times (2009-2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023), while Cristiano Ronaldo has won it 5 times (2008, 2013-2014, 2016-2017). Voters consider individual performance, team success, and fair play over a calendar year (January-December), not a season. The award has been controversial: Messi's 2021 win over Lewandowski was disputed, and the 2018 win by Modrić broke the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly. Women's Ballon d'Or was introduced in 2018, with Aitana Bonmatí (Spain/Barcelona) winning in 2023 after winning the World Cup and Champions League. The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual award in football, but it is also subjective, controversial, and biased towards attackers. Messi and Ronaldo have dominated it for 15 years, and the debate over who is better will never be settled. The award matters because it is the ultimate recognition of individual excellence, but it is not the only measure of greatness. Team success, longevity, and impact on the game matter just as much. ## Frequently asked questions ### Why does Messi have so many Ballons d'Or? Because he has been the best player in the world for over a decade. Messi has scored 800+ goals, won 4 Champions Leagues, 10 La Liga titles, and the 2022 World Cup. He has been consistently excellent for 15+ years, which is unprecedented. Ronaldo is the only player who comes close. ### Is the Ballon d'Or rigged? No, but it is subjective. Voters (100 journalists) have different criteria and biases. Some prioritise individual stats, others prioritise team success. The voting is transparent (votes are published), but the criteria are vague, which leads to controversy. The 2021 win by Messi over Lewandowski was widely disputed. ### Can a player win the Ballon d'Or without winning major trophies? Rarely. Team success (Champions League, World Cup, domestic titles) is a major factor. The last player to win without a major trophy was Cannavaro in 2006 (won the World Cup). Lewandowski scored 69 goals in 2021 but lost to Messi because Messi won the Copa América. ## Sources - [France Football — Ballon d'Or](https://www.francefootball.fr/ballon-d-or) - [BBC Sport — Ballon d'Or coverage](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football) - [The Guardian — Ballon d'Or history](https://www.theguardian.com/football/ballon-dor) - [ESPN — Ballon d'Or analysis](https://www.espn.com/soccer/) --- Daily Junction — https://dailyjunction.org/sports/ballon-dor-award-explained