The Ballon dโOr is undoubtedly the biggest individual award that a professional footballer can win his career. Awarded to the best player of the year, the Ballon dโOr is handed out by France Football magazine and is the holy grail for a footballer as far as individual awards go.ย
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luka Modric, Kaka, Zinedine Zidane, and many others have won the Ballon dโOr, and it is almost time for the best player of the 2025โ26 season to be awarded. There are many contenders to win the award this time around, with the likes of Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi, and many more in the running.ย
However, with the FIFA World Cup 2026โs recent conclusion, the standings could change massively. The prestigious award is given based on individual performances and the team’s performance in various competitions as well. Reflecting on the same, the Ballon dโOr took centre stage and released a statement about whether the award can be given without having won any team titles throughout the season.ย
As noted above, the Ballon dโOr is given to the player with the best individual stats and team titles in the season, but many would wonder if it is possible to win the award without winning any team titles.
What did the Ballon dโOrโs statement say?
The Ballon dโOr released a statement and picked out examples of the past where players have won the prestigious award without having won any team titles in their season.ย
“Stanley Matthews, the first Ballon d’Or winner in 1956, is also the first to have won it without having claimed a team title during the calendar year (the Ballon d’Or has been decided on the sporting season since 2022). Denis Law matched him in 1964, as did Gerd Mรผller in 1970. The German had scored 10 goals at the World Cup that year, but his team only finished 3rd,โ the statement read.ย
“Kevin Keegan, in 1978, then Luis Figo, in 2000, also managed to win the most prestigious individual title despite a trophyless season. The last to pull off such a feat? Cristiano Ronaldo, in 2013. It’s therefore been 11 editions since this last happened,โ it read further.ย
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