chronicles of the Golden Ball: The Ballon d’Or embraces the world beyond Europe

in 1956, the Ballon d’Or was born from a small idea by the French soccer magazine France Football to recognize the best player in Europe. over half a century later, the Ballon d’Or has grown to become the most prestigious award that every soccer player in the world dreams of winning. We take a look back at the early days of the Ballon d‘Or and the defining moments of its growth.

the beginnings and transformative moments

back in 1956, when legendary England winger Stanley Matthews won the inaugural Ballon d’Or in a vote of just 16 journalists, the award was only for ‘European players’. interestingly, the awards were held at the end of the year, which is said to have had a commercial purpose as well, to boost magazine sales regardless of the season. but with the changing times, the Ballon d’Or began to push itself beyond its limits.

breaking boundaries and embracing the world

khristo Stoichkov: Prime Minister behind the Iron Curtain

in 1990, the fall of communism opened the door to new opportunities for Eastern European players. bulgarian striker Hristo Stoichkov was a symbol of that change. after fleeing his country for Barcelona, he played a key role in Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ and won the Ballon d’Or in 1994. His award was both an individual triumph over the barriers of the Cold War-imposed regime and a soccer world’s desire for freedom.

george Weah: the continent’s first and only honor

in 1995, the Ballon d’Or embraced the globalization of the sport by removing nationality restrictions. That same year, the first non-European winner of the award was born. it was Liberian striker George Weah, whose win has gone down in history as the first and to date only Ballon d’Or to come from the African continent. as he proclaimed on the podium, “This Ballon d’Or is for the whole world,” and the Ballon d’Or has become the ultimate goal for soccer players beyond Europe.

today, the Ballon d’Or is voted on by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings. from the brainchild of a small magazine, this “golden ball” has proven its authority by reflecting the changing times and breaking boundaries.