The Ballon d’Or ceremony for 2026 will take place for the first time in London on October 26 to mark the 70th anniversary of the trophy being awarded to England’s Stanley Matthews in 1956, organisers announced on Thursday.
The most prestigious individual prize in football is an award that, for many years, has been dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele won last year, in a ceremony held in Paris by Groupe L’Equipe, owners of the France Football magazine.
The London venue for the 2026 ceremony was not revealed.
Messi holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or awards in football history, having won the prestigious prize eight times — in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
His dominance was especially evident between 2009 and 2012, when he won the award four consecutive times, redefining attacking football with his creativity, dribbling ability, playmaking vision, and goal-scoring consistency.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or five times, in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017.
Ronaldo’s achievements reflect years of excellence at the highest level of European football, where he became known for his athleticism, powerful finishing, consistency, and record-breaking performances in major competitions.
The rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest in football history, with both players dominating the sport for more than a decade and setting extraordinary individual and team records.
AFP
