Ballon d'Or
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The Ballon d'Or is an annual award presented to the association football player considered to have had the best performance during that year. The award is given by France Football, the French sports newspaper. The name comes from the appearance of the award itself: a golden football mounted on a pedestal.
The award was established in 1956. Originally, only European players employed by European clubs were eligible to compete. The rules were later expanded to allow any player working at a European club, and subsequently any player in the world, to be nominated.
Voting process
The winner is determined by vote. A panel of sports journalists from many countries draws up a list of nominated players, each receiving points. The player with the most points receives the award. The voting rules and number of voters have changed many times throughout the history of the award.
FIFA partnership
From 2010 to 2015, France Football and FIFA merged their awards, which was named FIFA Ballon d'Or. After 2016, the two organisations separated. France Football resumed its original award, while FIFA created a separate award of its own.
Additional categories
In more recent years, additional categories have been introduced, including an award for women, an award for young players, and an award for goalkeepers. The men's category remains the most prominent.