The Ballon d'Or is based on votes from sports journalists from 100 countries around the world, along with the player's individual performance and team success. In only four of the seven World Cup years since 1995 has a World Cup winner won the award.
We use Google Cloud Translation Services. Google requires we provide the following disclaimer relating to use of this service:
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, expressed or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.
There are two such honors in the world of football, which every player dreams of achieving. One, winning the FIFA World Cup for his country and the other, being declared the best individually, winning the Ballon d'Or. Interestingly, the performance in the World Cup, which is held every four years, often determines the winner of that year's Ballon d'Or.
But, is it necessary to win the World Cup to win the Ballon d'Or? This is not always the case. Although Spain won the World Cup in 2010, Messi, who scored 60 goals for Barcelona, received the Ballon d'Or, while Xavi and Iniesta from the team were World Cup winners. Similarly, in 2014, although Portugal was eliminated in the opening round of the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or based on his excellent performance in club football.
If we look at the statistics, out of the seven World Cup years since 1995, only four times have the World Cup winner won the Ballon d'Or. The Ballon d'Or is voted for by journalists from the world's 100 best football nations, with individual player performance and team success being the main criteria.
The FIFA World Cup is currently underway in North America. This year's performances have made the race for the upcoming Ballon d'Or even more interesting. France captain Kylian Mbappe and Argentina's Lionel Messi are leading the race for the Golden Boot with 8 goals each.
Messi has set a record by scoring in seven consecutive games at the age of 39. Meanwhile, England's Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane have also not given up their claims with 6 goals each. Reigning Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele has maintained his reputation with a hat-trick against Norway.
Despite Norway's exit, Erling Haaland has shown his individual potential by scoring 7 goals, while 18-year-old Lamin Yamal has emerged as a young star.
The Ballon d'Or award, which was started by the French magazine 'France Football' in 1956, has a long history. Initially, it was known only as the 'European Footballer of the Year' and was awarded only to European players. But after 1995, its doors were opened to players from all over the world.
From 2022, a major change was made to its rules. Now, this award is given based on the European football season instead of the calendar year. History is witness, the star players who shine in the World Cup have also dominated the Ballon d'Or.
Bobby Charlton received this award after leading England to the World Cup in 1966. Similarly, in 1982, Italy's Paolo Rossi created rare history by winning all three World Cup titles - the Golden Ball, Golden Boot and Ballon d'Or - in the same year.
In 1990, West Germany captain Lothar Matthaus also secured the Ballon d'Or after winning the World Cup. In 1998, France legend Zinedine Zidane scored two goals in the final to make the team the champion and became the undisputed winner of the Ballon d'Or.
Brazil's 'The Phenomenon' Ronaldo performed magically in the World Cups in 1998 and 2002. In particular, in 2002, he returned from injury and scored two goals in the final, not only helping Brazil win the World Cup for the fifth time, but also winning his second Ballon d'Or.
Similarly, in 2006, Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro received this honor after leading the defense to victory in the World Cup. Luka Modric, who led Croatia to the final in 2018, won the Ballon d'Or, ending a decade-long dominance by Messi and Ronaldo.
And recently, Lionel Messi proved himself to be 'the best' by winning the award for the eighth time after leading Argentina to historic success at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
As the World Cup draws to a close, one question remains: Will World Cup performance once again determine football's highest individual award, the Ballon d'Or? Or will club football overshadow it?
