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The Golden Ball, the prestigious award given by ‘France Football’ to the best player in the world, has decided to change its rules to make it “more understandable”. This was announced today by the French sports magazine itself, which has published a new regulation with which it intends to give a new look to the most desired individual award in the world.
The main novelty is that from now on will align with the football seasoninstead of rewarding what happened during the calendar year. Delivered at the end of the year since its creation, in 1956, the trophy will now go hand in hand with the typical football season, from August to July, in addition to having clearer award criteria.
“It is the opportunity to give a new impetus. Before, it was judged over two half seasons. Now it will be more understandable, “said Pascal Ferré, editor-in-chief of France Football, during a presentation this Friday in Boulogne-Billancourt, on the outskirts of Paris.
Thus, the next delivery of the trophy will take place in September or October 2022, and will be based on the performances of the season that began twelve months ago, especially taking into account the men’s Champions League (final on May 28) and the European Championship female (July 6-31).
This reform occurs while the calendar will be altered next season with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in November-December, and not on the usual summer dates. The best players in that appointment will be rewarded in the Ballon d’Or 2023.
‘France Football’ made other notable modifications, such as the integration of former star Didier Drogba in the committee in charge of shortlisting the nomineeswhich until now was made up of the editorial staff of the magazine ‘France Football’ and the sports newspaper ‘L’Équipe’.
There will also be changes in the jury. Although it will continue to be made up of journalists, with one voter per nation, the jury will henceforth have 100 voters for the men’s Ballon d’Or (by 170 so far), corresponding to the top 100 nations in the FIFA ranking, and 50 for the women’s Ballon d’Or, under the same criteria. A way, according to ‘France Football’, to guarantee “the most correct evaluation” possible of voters and their access to the images of the matches.
Finally, the attribution criteria will be clarified: the collective aspect and the trophies won will take a backseat, for the benefit of “individual actions”. “The player’s class and his sense of fair-play” will also be taken into account.
“It’s about avoiding ambiguities, being clear and consistent: the Ballon d’Or is an individual distinction, based on individual performances,” said Pascal Ferré. The player’s career as a whole will no longer be taken into account, to avoid making the Ballon d’Or a “private preserve”.
Some measures that response to the criticism caused by the award of the trophy in 2021 to Lionel Messiproclaimed champion for the seventh time, while the second, the Polish Robert Lewandowski, still cannot boast of having this individual award in his record.
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