Ballon d’Or organisers have responded to the long-running debate over whether footballers must play for European clubs to stand a realistic chance of winning the prestigious award, insisting that while history favours Europe-based players, the prize is open to footballers from any league in the world.
With the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or intensifying as the World Cup nears its conclusion, the award’s official platform examined whether representing a non-European club is a disadvantage, concluding that there are no eligibility restrictions based on where a player competes.
The Ballon d’Or, created by France Football in 1956, initially recognised only the best European player competing in a European league. In 1995, eligibility expanded to include players of all nationalities, provided they played in Europe. Since 2007, however, the award has been open to any player worldwide, regardless of the league they represent.
Despite that change, history suggests that Europe remains the dominant pathway to football’s highest individual honour.
An analysis of the last 18 men’s Ballon d’Or winners shows that virtually every recipient was playing for a European club when crowned. Winners including Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luka Modrić, Karim Benzema, Rodri and Ousmane Dembélé all represented European clubs at the time of their triumphs.
