Learn all you need to know about the 2023 Ballon d’Or award-winning criteria, as well as the four new rules that will determine the winner
The Ballon d’Or is the most coveted award in football history. Traditionally, the honour is given to players who have remained at the top of the competition and performed excellently and consistently throughout the calendar year. However, starting in 2023, the criteria for selecting the winner of the Ballon d’Or will be completely changed, with the focus now placed on players’ performances throughout the season rather than yearly.
Ballon d’Or in 2023 new rules changes, format, vote and season window explained
No more January to December.
The #ballondor will now be awarded on the basis of a classic football season : August to July! 📅
No worries, the Qatar World Cup will count for the 2023 award. pic.twitter.com/BPvNp4jTNM
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) March 11, 2022
Lionel Messi of PSG and Argentina won his seventh Ballon d’Or title in 2022, beating out Barcelona and Poland’s Robert Lewandowski. Following the ceremony, Lionel Messi and his seventh Ballon d’Or became a point of controversy, with many believing that Robert Lewandowski was more deserving of the award. In this article, we will be learning about four new rules to determine the Ballon d’Or winner.
The four new rules for winning the Ballon d’Or are explained
France Football has granted the award to men since 1956 and to women since 2018. Traditionally, the winner was chosen based on his performance over the course of a single calendar year. However, the award will now be given based on a player’s performance during a proper football season (Aug-July). The four new rules that will select the winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2023 are outlined below.
Less global but… much more demanding
The process of selection for the #ballondor jury members is changing ⤵️
◾️ Ballon d’Or Jury > journalists from country part of the FIFA top 100 ranking
◾️ Women’s Ballon d’Or Jury > journalists from country part of the FIFA top 50 ranking pic.twitter.com/G2lFc35GhL
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) March 11, 2022
- The winner will be determined based on the major football season (Aug-July), rather than the preceding calendar year. This year’s award will be based on footballers’ efforts over the 2021-22 season, which will continue until the 2022 Women’s Euro tournament.
- It should be mentioned that the 2022 FIFA World Cup performances will be considered for the 2023 ceremony.
- Along with the journalists voting, Chelsea icon Didier Drogba, Truong Anh Ngoc, and Karolina Hlavackova have been invited to the panel to establish an organised list of nominees.
- Only representatives from the top 100 FIFA rankings are eligible to vote in the Men’s division. The top 50 nations are permitted in the Women’s division.
- The overall performance of the winner, rather than the individual numbers of the season, will be considered for the award.
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