The Ballon d'Or is an annual award presented by the French magazine France Football since 1956. It recognizes the player considered to have performed the best over the previous season. The award ceremony for the 2025 Ballon d'Or will be held on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

Key Criteria

France Football has defined clear criteria for selecting the Ballon d'Or winner. According to the organizers, the award is based on the following three main pillars: * Individual Performance: This includes a player's overall impact on the game, their statistics, such as goals and assists, and their performance in decisive moments. * Team Achievements: The successes and trophies won with their respective clubs and national teams are taken into account. * Fair Play and Class: A player's conduct on and off the pitch, including sportsmanship and philanthropic actions, contributes to their evaluation.

France Football's editor-in-chief, Vincent Garcia, stated that the award considers a player's impact in crucial moments and their overall image as a professional, not strictly statistics.

Voting Process

The voting process involves a selection of journalists from around the world. For the men's award, 100 journalists, each representing one of the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations, participate in the voting process. Each journalist selects their top players from a shortlist of 30 nominees chosen by the editorial teams of France Football and L'Équipe. The Kopa Trophy (best young player) is voted on by former Ballon d'Or winners.

Each journalist picks 10 players, which are given points. The top choice receives 15 points, then 12, 10, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point respectively. The player with the highest total wins the Ballon d'Or. If there's a tie, it's broken based on the number of first-place votes, then second-place votes, and so on. France Football has the final say if a tie remains.

Timeline

Since 2022, the Ballon d'Or has been awarded based on a seasonal performance. The current period for consideration runs from July 1 to June 30. This reflects a change from previous years when the award was based on performances during a calendar year.

Additional Information

UEFA has co-organized the Ballon d'Or gala since 2024, with France Football retaining the voting system and the Ballon d'Or name. In 2025, three new categories recognizing female players' achievements have been introduced: the Women's Yashin Trophy, Women's Gerd Müller Trophy, and Women's Kopa Trophy.