Beyond goals: what truly makes a Ballon d’Or winner?
Silence, anxiety and nervousness filled the air at the Théâtre du Châtelet as the winner of the 2018 Ballon d’Or was about to be announced. Sat at the front row were the nominees Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Antoine Griezmann with their spouses. Then finally, it was time for the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner to be revealed. “And the winner of the 2018 Ballon d’Or is… Luka… Modrić!”
Luka who? Yes, you heard it right, Luka Modrić was the first Croatian and the first player to break the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi duopoly. It was the first time in a long while that a holding midfielder had won such an award. From 2008 to 2017, the title had been awarded to Messi and Ronaldo and no one else.
Before that, the last player to win the award was Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, commonly known as Kaká. Kaká’s triumph in 2007 marked the end of an era where playmakers and creative midfielders could still dominate world football.
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More than a decade later, Luka Modrić’s win revived that tradition, rewarding intelligence, teamwork, and consistency over raw goal numbers. His victory symbolized the recognition of balance and artistry in the modern game, proof that football greatness isn’t only measured by goals.
Now, this brings up an important question: what truly makes a Ballon d’Or winner? Is it based on the statistical records (goals, assists, clean sheets, tackles, passes, etc.) or influence (how much a player inspires, leads, or changes the game beyond just numbers)? To understand that, let’s look at the Ballon d’Or format and rules, while analyzing its strengths, limitations, and my personal take.
Ballon d’Or format and rules
According to Marca, the Spanish football newspaper, the Ballon d’Or is one of football’s most prestigious awards, presented annually by France Football magazine to the best player in the world. The award recognises excellence in both men’s and women’s football at the professional level. Originally, the Ballon d’Or was based on performances within a calendar year (January to December). However, the format has since changed to align with the football season, running from August to July.
For the men’s category, voting rights are granted to journalists from the top 100 countries on the FIFA world ranking. Each journalist, representing their country of birth, casts one vote. They are required to select five players, ranking them from first to fifth. Points are then awarded as follows: 6 points for first place, 4 for second, 3 for third, 2 for fourth, and 1 for fifth.
The Ballon d’Or voting is guided by three key pillars:
Individual performance:
Consistency, goals, assists, match-winning impact, and how much a player stood out during the season.
Team achievements:
Titles won with club and country, including competitions such as the UEFA Champions League, domestic leagues, the Euros, and the Copa América, as well as the player’s contribution to those successes.
Fair play and legacy:
Respectful behaviour on and off the pitch, leadership qualities, sportsmanship, and long-term influence on the game.
Calls for change
While the Ballon d’Or remains the most coveted individual honour in football, questions have been raised about its voting structure. Limiting votes to only 100 FIFA-ranked countries, critics argue, creates bias and excludes several nations from having a say.
Allowing all FIFA member countries to participate could bring more transparency and fairness to the process. The switch from the calendar year to the full-season format has been widely praised for its fairness. If the old format were still in use, performances from two separate seasons would overlap, making it harder to judge players accurately.
Before 2022, the Ballon d’Or followed a system similar to the Oscars, recognising performances within a single calendar year. The new approach, however, aligns better with the football season, making the evaluation process more logical and balanced. As discussions continue, the debate over voting transparency and player influence remains central to the evolution of the Ballon d’Or.
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Influence or statistics: what should decide the Ballon d’Or winner?
In 2006, Fabio Cannavaro made history as one of the few defenders to ever win the Ballon d’Or. His triumph came largely because of Italy’s World Cup victory that year and his outstanding defensive performances. At club level, he was also exceptional, scoring four goals for Juventus, a rare feat for a centre-back at that time.
However, he was not the top scorer or the most dominant player in terms of numbers. Cannavaro’s win was based mainly on his leadership and influence on the field, not just his statistics. Fast forward to 2018, and Luka Modrić’s Ballon d’Or win sparked similar debates. Real Madrid had a successful season, winning the UEFA Champions League, Supercopa de España, Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup. Yet Modrić’s goal tally was low.
At the international level, he captained Croatia to their first-ever World Cup final, losing 4–2 to France. Modrić played more minutes than any player in that tournament and was named the best player of the World Cup. Once again, the award seemed to celebrate influence, leadership, consistency, and inspiration, rather than pure numbers.
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If influence means guiding a team through tough moments, showing leadership, and inspiring others, then Cannavaro and Modrić both deserved their awards. The Ballon d’Or has always been about honouring the best player overall, not just the highest scorer.
In 2007, Kaká, full name Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, also won the award, not because of overwhelming statistics but because of his composure and influence on the pitch. He led AC Milan to Champions League glory with elegance and maturity. Though more attack-minded than Modrić or Cannavaro, Kaká’s win was still driven by his impact rather than his numbers.
The case for statistics
In contrast, many argue that the Ballon d’Or should reward numbers over influence. For example, in 2018 Cristiano Ronaldo scored over 40 goals for club and country combined, yet he did not win. If football were like a spelling bee, where the highest score determines the winner, Ronaldo would have easily come out on top.
Supporters of this view believe that the award should be based strictly on merit and measurable performance. Since club football is played more frequently than international football, goals and assists across an entire season should carry more weight than leadership or emotional influence.
The limitations of the influence argument
Relying too much on influence has its flaws. International football is played far less often than club football, so it shouldn’t outweigh what players do week in and week out during the season. Club football offers more matches and a broader base for evaluating consistency and performance.
Conclusion
The Ballon d’Or should be decided mainly by statistics. Influence should not be a major factor. Modric’s World Cup heroics were impressive, but his numbers at the club level were not the best. If the award focused on stats first, goals, assists, and overall performance, and only then on international contributions, it would be fairer.
If France Football were to remove the “influence” criterion, it could make the Ballon d’Or less controversial and more transparent, ensuring that the player with the best numbers truly earns the title of “best footballer in the world.”
By: Kojo Essamuah / @_sanogo_
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Soccrates Images / Getty Images – DeFodi Images