This is the long-awaited event every year. The Ballon d’Or, which elects the best football player, was created in 1956, in partnership with the magazine France Football. For once, this 66th edition has had a facelift with many new features, starting with a major overhaul. Players are no longer rewarded for their performance over a calendar year, it is now the sports season calendar that is taken into account, i.e. the 2021-2022 season.
The start of the 2022-2023 season is therefore excluded from the selection criteria. Another major change, the award criteria also change. “Individual performances” and the “decisive and impressive character of the contenders” will be the main criteria, ahead of “the collective aspect and the trophies won” and “the player’s class and his sense of fair play”.
The jury is also changing. There are now only 100 voters compared to 170 previously. These are 100 journalists from the 100 first nations in the FIFA rankings. The Women’s Ballon d’Or is made up of a jury of 50 members.
Favorite Benzema?
And France could triumph this year. Announced as one of the big favourites, Karim Benzema could become the fifth Frenchman to obtain this coveted trophy in the world of football. As a reminder, the Ballon d’Or has already been won by Raymond Kopa (1958), Michel Platini (1983, 1984, 1985), Jean-Pierre Papin (1991) and the latest, Zinédine Zidane (1998).
Fourth for this same trophy in 2021, the one nicknamed “El nueve” because of his number 9 worn in his club, is the author of a successful 2021-2022 season. With 44 goals in 46 matches played and a title of top scorer in the last Champions League, the statistics of the Real Madrid striker are worthy of a Ballon d’Or.
Facing him will be the captain of the Polish selection Robert Lewandowski, who played last season at Bayern Munich in Germany and who joined the ranks of FC Barcelona this summer. Another direct opponent of Karim Benzema for the title of best player, Sadio Mané, winner of the African Cup with Senegal and who now plays for Bayern Munich.
The other awards
In addition to the Ballon d’Or for men, other trophies will be awarded during this evening. Among them, the Kopa Trophy which rewards the best young player of the season, aged under 21. Created in 2018, Kylian Mbappé won the first edition. The Spaniard Pedri is the defending champion. Among the nominees this year is Eduardo Camavinga, the French midfielder of Real Madrid.
Other awards, the Yachine Trophy which elects the best goalkeeper, or the Women’s Golden Ball will be awarded. The Gerd Müller trophy gives pride of place to the top scorer of the season.
For this 66th edition, a new award, the “Socrates Prize”, will be reserved for footballers involved in societal and charitable projects.