Ballon d'Or 2025: Full Guide to the Awards, Categories, Ceremony Date & Past Winners
The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual award in world football, presented annually by the renowned French magazine France Football. Since its inception in 1956, the award has recognized the best male football player in the world based on performances throughout the year. Over time, the scope of the award has expanded to include several other categories, reflecting the global nature and evolution of the sport.
What is the Ballon d'Or?
France Football began presenting the Ballon d'Or in 1956 to honor the best male footballer of the year. From 2010 to 2015, the Ballon d'Or was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year award to form the FIFA Ballon d'Or. This partnership ended in 2016, after which both entities resumed awarding their separate honors.
In 2018, France Football introduced several new categories:
- The Women's Ballon d'Or (Ballon d'Or Féminin)
- The Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player
- The Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper
How is the Ballon d'Or 2025 Winner Selected?
The Ballon d'Or winner is determined through a secret vote conducted by 173 international journalists. Each journalist selects five players and assigns points from 6 to 1. The player with the highest total points wins the Ballon d'Or.
The voting is based on the following criteria:
- Individual and team performances throughout the year
- Player behavior and sportsmanship
- The player's overall career
Categories of the Ballon d'Or 2025
The award categories for the 2025 Ballon d'Or include:
- Men's Ballon d'Or: Best male football player
- Women's Ballon d'Or: Best female football player
- Kopa Trophy: Best young player (under 21)
- Yashin Trophy: Best goalkeeper
- Best Men's Coach
- Best Women's Coach
- Men's Team of the Year
- Women's Team of the Year
- Socrates Award: For outstanding social contributions (men or women)
When and Where is the Ballon d'Or 2025 Ceremony?
The Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony will take place on Monday, September 22, 2025, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.
Although the exact start time has not yet been announced, it is expected to begin at 9:00 PM Saudi time, consistent with previous years. Further details will be shared once officially confirmed.
As for the broadcast, the official TV channel for the 2025 ceremony has not been confirmed yet, but it is likely to be aired on beIN Sports.
Ballon d'Or 2025 Nominees
France Football has not yet released the list of official nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The full shortlist is scheduled to be announced on August 7, 2025.
Past Ballon d'Or Winners
Notable multiple winners include:
- Lionel Messi: 8-time winner (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023)
- Cristiano Ronaldo: 5-time winner (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
- Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten: 3-time winners
The list also features legendary names such as Ronaldo Nazário, Zinedine Zidane, George Weah, Ronaldinho, and recent winners like Luka Modrić (2018), Karim Benzema (2022), and Rodri (2024).
The Ballon d'Or remains a symbol of greatness and a dream accolade for any football player, representing the pinnacle of individual success in the sport.
