Ballon d’Or Organisers Confirm Players Can Win Award Without Team Trophies
The organisers of the Ballon d’Or have clarified that winning a major team trophy is not a mandatory requirement for claiming football’s most prestigious individual award.
The confirmation comes ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on October 26 in London, as debates continue over whether individual brilliance should outweigh team success when selecting the winner.
According to the organisers, while lifting trophies can strengthen a player’s chances, outstanding individual performances alone can still be enough to secure the coveted honour.
Only Six Players Have Achieved the Feat
Although the Ballon d’Or rules allow a player to win without collecting silverware during the season, history shows that it is an extremely rare achievement.
Since the award was first presented in 1956, only six footballers have received the Ballon d’Or without winning a team title that year.
The six players are:
- Stanley Matthews (1956) – The first-ever Ballon d’Or winner, despite finishing the season without a major trophy.
- Denis Law (1964) – Recognised for his exceptional individual performances.
- Gerd Müller (1970) – Honoured after another remarkable goal-scoring campaign.
- Kevin Keegan (1978) – Won the award based on his outstanding displays despite missing out on team silverware.
- Luis Figo (2000) – Claimed football’s biggest individual prize through his consistent brilliance.
- Cristiano Ronaldo (2013) – The most recent player to win the Ballon d’Or without lifting a team trophy.
Since Ronaldo’s triumph in 2013, every Ballon d’Or winner has also celebrated at least one major team success during the same season.
Women’s Ballon d’Or Yet to Produce Similar Winner
The organisers also highlighted that the Women’s Ballon d’Or has followed a different pattern.
Since the women’s award was introduced in 2018, every winner has lifted at least one significant team trophy before being crowned the world’s best female footballer.
That means no female player has yet won the award based solely on individual performances.
2026 Ceremony Set for London
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will mark another milestone in football history.
This year’s event will crown:
- The 70th men’s Ballon d’Or winner
- The 8th Women’s Ballon d’Or winner
The ceremony will bring together many of football’s biggest stars as fans eagerly await the announcement of this year’s winners.
Individual Excellence Still Matters
The organisers’ latest clarification reinforces the idea that the Ballon d’Or remains an award focused primarily on individual excellence, even though team achievements often play an important role in the voting process.
Exceptional performances, consistency, leadership, and overall influence throughout the season continue to be key factors considered by journalists when selecting the winner.
However, history suggests that claiming the award without winning any team trophy remains one of the rarest accomplishments in football.
Read Also: 2026–27 UEFA Champions League: Full List of Qualified Teams, Draw Date, Format and Final Venue
About The Author
