The great race for the Ballon d'Or: the challenge for the prize
Why it matters
The Ballon d'Or represents the highest individual recognition in football, influencing not only the careers of players, but also the reputation of clubs. Ousmane Dembele, having already won the award, is an example of how personal success can reflect positively on his team, Paris Saint-Germain, and on its image in the world football scene. Competition for the award is especially intense in a World Cup year, where players' performances can determine their chances of winning.
Key points
- The great race for the Ballon d'Or: the challenge for the prize.
- The Ballon d'Or is football's highest individual accolade, with nominations increasing in the context of a World Cup year.
- The great Ballon d'Or campaign - a race for football's biggest individual prize - BBC Sport.
"The Ballon d'Or was discussed every single day," said European football expert Guillem Balague. "It will clearly follow the model of society, where there is a great emphasis on the individual - it is more difficult to understand why a collective works, it becomes very easy to understand why one dribbles or does not dribble." The hype for the stage grew as the red carpet ceremony approached. "You can't underestimate the PR machine that some clubs and some players will use," added French journalist Julien Laurens. Coaches and sporting directors praised their clients, questioning why other members of their squad were not part of the list of 30. Deco called the absence of Barcelona players Raphinha and Pedri "a huge scandal", but backed Lamine Yamal as the big favorite to win. Not, he says, because he is also a Barca player, but "because I like football".
Prominent names appeared frequently in the media. Lamine Yamal himself insisted he does not intend to "beg" for anything - after saying last year he dreamed of "winning many" - but suggested the award should not just go to the top scorer. Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique has confessed to being "tired of the Ballon d'Or" - although with a record 10 PSG players on the list, he would perhaps prefer to stay out of the debate.
Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia encouraged each other. "We can split it in two," Dembélé joked. “Honestly, he deserves it, the season he had was exceptional.” Kvaratskhelia replied: "Of course it's him!" A 'Kvara d'Or' campaign in Georgia celebrated the country's favorite son. "I think it's really hard for big nations to understand what [winning] means for a small country," the winger explained. Kylian Mbappé, who Real Madrid manager José Mourinho compared to the original Ronaldo, was less subtle than many in his appeal to win the award for the first time. "I always think I'm the best, but everyone has their own opinion," professed the Frenchman, now the all-time top scorer at the World Cup. "Of course, this year could be good for me to win the Ballon d'Or - but it's the journalists who vote."
Indeed, since a brief period of national team captains and coaches voting ended in 2015, the list of 30 players compiled by France Football and L'Equipe publications has been voted on by a journalist from each of the 100 nations ranked by FIFA. The deadline has expired. The winner has already been chosen. What does it mean to win the Ballon d'Or? James Kirkham, a sports brand strategist who has worked with top-flight clubs and players, including Harry Kane, says the wait had an electoral feel. “You're going out, picking up votes and making sure you reinforce certain blocks from certain countries, and why wouldn't you?” adds Kirkham. Lobbying is not for everyone. Max Eberl, Bayern Munich board member for sport, supported Kane and Michael Olise, but said the best players "are the ones who don't need to campaign". However, Mbappé's compatriot Jean-Pierre Papin, winner of the award in 1991, told French TV: "I really like Kylian, he is a record holder. However, there is a moment when it is just about me, me, me and me."
Mbappé made an interesting observation, alluding to the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - the two won a total of 13 awards in 15 years between 2008 and 2023. "My idea of the Ballon d'Or comes from the era of Messi and Ronaldo - you don't give it to ordinary players, you give it to players who are different," Mbappé explained. Milan's Kaka was the last recipient before Messi and Ronaldo began their battle, the Brazilian overtaking his young rivals in 2007. This was a year after social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter were launched to the public. Nokia dominated the mobile phone market, people took digital cameras on nights out. The world had changed unimaginably when Messi won for the eighth time in 2023.
"Today everything moves at the speed of light," explains former AC Milan CEO and sporting director Ariedo Braida, who saw the club win seven awards, from Ruud Gullit to the treble of Marco van Basten, George Weah, Andriy Shevchenko and Kaka. "Fans follow individuals - players - rather than the club itself. It's a widespread phenomenon, which we also see, for example, in politics. "Once upon a time, you would have been a Milan fan and you would have gone to watch Milan. Today, everything is live and with the Champions League you can always see all the big stars right away. "I have to say that this makes me feel a little nostalgic, because the event is always immediate. The anticipation creates that sense of desire that has now disappeared."
The brilliance of Messi and Ronaldo, and often their tribal following online, has also led to a greater emphasis on individual records - among fans, the media and the players who grew up dreaming of emulating them. "You could argue we're in a more interesting time because for basically 15 years it's been Messi versus Ronaldo and he certainly seems more open. It's a different game now," adds Kirkham. “The social noise is deafening, incessant, all-pervasive – every fan has an insatiable appetite, every point is rehashed, reacted to, but you also have this domino effect in microcosms of media on every platform.” Clips go viral - a great goal, a magical piece of skill, breathtaking dribbling - but so do opinions. “Now a single word in a broadcast can be played out as a tweet, reacted to by creators and former players in video content that exists in clips and stories, playing across radio and on television screens,” adds Kirkham. “It's the whole ecosystem, how it amplifies across these different spaces and platforms, then generates narratives. “No one is doing anything wrong, creating something that they believe is resonating with their audience. But en masse, it's a machine, a ferocious output generated for a player or against a player or whatever it may be."
Braida, who was at Barcelona when Messi won the award in 2015, would agree: "Today, media exposure is absolutely crucial. With the advent of social media, the world has changed radically compared to my time. There has been a global transformation, and today we live in a small global village, because with the Internet you can reach anywhere in real time."
What it means for players and clubs. Harry Kane reflects on possible Ballon d'Or success. Michael Owen tells a story about how, when Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier called him with the news that he had won the award in 2001, the 22-year-old didn't even know what the Ballon d'Or was. Owen attended a photoshoot at Liverpool's Melwood training center two weeks before the images were released to the media, with the striker officially presented the trophy on the Anfield pitch before a match against Derby County. He was the first winner to play for an English club since George Best of Manchester United in 1968, the intervening period dominated by Italian, Spanish and German teams. From its creation in 1956 until 1995, when Weah became the first and so far only African player to win it, only European players were eligible. Only in 2007 did the award become truly global, open to players from any club - not just those representing European teams. Not until 2011 was he awarded in a glamorous ceremony. And only in 2018 was the award for women launched. "Winning the Ballon d'Or has an extremely positive impact," adds Braida. "We at AC Milan bought Kaka for around 7.5 million euros and sold him for 67 million euros [to Real Madrid]. I have to tell you, though, that in 2008, after his victory at the Ballon d'Or in 2007, Manchester City made us a written offer of 105 million euros. We are talking about a written offer, not a survey or mere words. We were probably still in the early stages of certain commercial developments at that time, but now clearly has a huge impact. Even in that period, his value increased fivefold and winning the Ballon d'Or brought him global exposure and fame. For someone like England captain Kane, who hopes to become England's first winner in 25 years and only the fifth of all time, the prestige is enormous - especially with the ceremony held in London to mark the 70th anniversary of Stanley Matthews winning the top prize.
“It would be a huge accomplishment if it were to happen,” Kane said Wednesday, remaining tight-lipped about his chances. Kane has played his part in recent interviews, but others, such as Rio Ferdinand on Bayern's official social networks, have supported his cause. "Golden Ball!" After all, he is trying to become Bayern's first winner since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's back-to-back win in 1981. We haven't seen a Ballon d'Or winner in the Bundesliga since Borussia Dortmund's Matthias Sammer 30 years ago. Bayern is also reminiscent of the case of Robert Lewandowski, who was widely considered favorite in 2020, scoring at an extraordinary rate as the Bavarians won all six available trophies, including the Champions League, before the ceremony was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Polish striker, who was runner-up to Messi the following season, told BBC Sport last year that the award had become "part football, part politics" and was "more commercial" than the corresponding The Best FIFA Men's Player award.
Ballon d'Or rejections can hurt deeply. Franck Ribery said it felt "like a robbery" when he was overtaken by Ronaldo in 2013. Real Madrid boycotted the 2024 ceremony when they learned that Manchester City midfielder Rodri would win the award instead of Vinicius Junior. "In Brazil, the outcry is enormous," explains Caique Andrade, Globo's international football journalist. "When Vini didn't win the 2024 Ballon d'Or, there was a lot of controversy." It might be an individual award, but winning is huge for the clubs too. "This means an incredible impact in terms of popularity, visibility and also financial returns for the club," explains Braida. “Today, with the increase in social media and followers – factors that shape business aspects – this is even more true.” Kirkham concludes: “It's a global point – that means more audiences and more eyes, and that means more money around the world.”
What happens now
As the Ballon d'Or ceremony approaches, clubs are expected to step up their marketing campaigns to support their candidates. Players such as Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane will be in the spotlight, while youngster Lamine Yamal could emerge as a surprising contender. The narrative around the World Cup will certainly influence ratings, making every performance crucial to individual and team ambitions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Châtelet Theater in Paris?
Ousmane Dembélé sat in his seat with the golden eye socket in his hand as the campaigns for this year's men's Ballon d'Or began.
Who confirmed the importance of the Ballon d'Or?
European football expert Guillem Balague said the Ballon d'Or was discussed every day.
Why is the Ballon d'Or particularly relevant this year?
This year is a World Cup year, which increases the focus on who could lead their country to glory and win the prize.
What changes have been noticed in the race for the Ballon d'Or?
Clubs and players are using PR strategies to promote their candidates, while some coaches have questioned the absence of certain players from the list of 30.
Who is considered a big favorite for the Ballon d'Or?
Lamine Yamal was supported as a big favorite by Deco, despite the absence of other Barcelona players.
Related Articles
- Azzurri in search of redemption: the path to the World Cup
- Messi and the emotional farewell to the Argentina national team
- Ronaldo case in Portugal, CR7's friend speaks
