2026 Ballon d’Or: Organizers give conditions to win award after World Cup

The organizers of the Ballon d’Or have warned that winning the World Cup does not guarantee a player the award.

This was contained in a statement published on their website on Monday, a day after Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final.

In the past, Bobby Charlton (1966), Paolo Rossi (1982) and Lothar Matthäus (1990) all won the World Cup and the Ballon d’Or in the same year.

However, the last player to achieve the feat was Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who won the World Cup in 2022 and the Ballon d’Or in 2023.

But the statement said: “Since 1995, four out of seven have managed it (57%).

“Yes, winning the World Cup helps, but it does not guarantee a Ballon d’Or.

“To win it, you need to have been the best player of the season, not only of the World Cup.”