The Ballon d’Or is recognised as one of the biggest and most prestigious individual awards in world football. However, there are opinions that its current system needs improvement to ensure that winners are selected based on clear and fair criteria.
Here are five proposed changes that could improve the award process.
1. Announce the winner immediately after the season ends
The award ceremony should be held in July, while players’ performances and achievements from the season are still fresh in people’s minds. This could help voters make their assessments without being influenced by events that take place long after the season has ended.
2. Reduce the number of nominees
The final shortlist should be reduced from 30 players to 15. This could make the selection more competitive and ensure that being nominated for the award is itself considered a major achievement.
3. Introduce a voting system that considers the entire season
Instead of relying on a single vote at the end of the season, players should be assessed at different stages of the competition. This approach could help recognise consistency throughout the campaign rather than placing too much emphasis on a few outstanding performances towards the end of the season.
4. Make the evaluation criteria clearer
The criteria for selecting the winner should be more transparent, taking into account performances in major matches, trophies won, individual contributions and the player’s influence on their team’s success.
5. Improve the selection of voters
The voting panel should include experienced sports journalists, former players and football analysts who closely follow top-level competitions. This could improve the quality of assessments and strengthen confidence in the final results.
