Ballon d'Or organizers confirm trophies not required for award win
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- Organizers confirmed players can win the Ballon d'Or without a team trophy, a feat achieved only six times in history.
- Cristiano Ronaldo was the most recent recipient in 2013 to win without a team title, marking 11 years since the last occurrence.
- The 2026 ceremony will be held in London, crowning the 70th men's and eighth women's Ballon d'Or winners.
The organizers of the prestigious Ballon d'Or have clarified that winning football's top individual award does not necessitate a team trophy. This confirmation comes as debate continues over the criteria for claiming the honor.
Historically, only six players have achieved this distinction. Stanley Matthews was the first in 1956, followed by Denis Law (1964), Gerd Müller (1970), Kevin Keegan (1978), Luis Figo (2000), and Cristiano Ronaldo (2013). Ronaldo's 2013 win marks the most recent instance, meaning a decade has passed since a player won without team silverware.
The organizers also noted that no female player has won the Women's Ballon d'Or without a team title since its inception in 2018. The upcoming 2026 ceremony, scheduled for October 26 in London, will celebrate the 70th men's and eighth women's Ballon d'Or recipients.
players can win football’s most prestigious individual prize without lifting a team trophy during the season
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Vanguard in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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