The integrity of the award has been called into question in recent years and it is not hard to see why the Ballon d’Or doesn’t matter as much.
A little history about the prestigious award
The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious individual accolade in world football, awarded to the male player deemed to have performed to the highest standard over the previous year. The Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented by France Football. It has been awarded since 1956, although between 2010 and 2015 it merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year and was known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or.
Nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or
The announcement of the 30 nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award led to some surprises, with plenty of focus on the names who have not made the cut.
It was a memorable season in which Argentina won the World Cup in Qatar, and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City secured their historic Treble.
Fans are divided on whether Lionel Messi or Erling Haaland deserves to win this year’s Ballon d’Or after the Man City ace picked up the UEFA Best Player Award on Thursday evening.
The Norwegian hotshot was in fantastic shape last term and played a central role in City’s triumph in the Champions League.
What fans feel about it
Do fans anymore care about who wins this prestigious trophy, or have they moved away from it? However, in recent years, many fans have become disillusioned with the award. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of diversity in the winners. Over the past decade, the award has been won by either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo every year except for one. This has led many fans to feel that the award has become predictable and boring.
Another reason for the award’s decline in popularity is the perception that it is biased towards players who play for the top teams in Europe. This means that players who play in smaller leagues or for smaller teams are often overlooked, even if they have had an outstanding season.
What changes need to be done
To keep the award relevant and interesting for fans, changes need to be made. This could include expanding the pool of players who are considered for the award or changing the criteria for selecting the winner. Whatever the solution, it is clear that the current system is not working and needs to be reevaluated.
Another option could be to have a panel of experts from a variety of countries and leagues vote on the award, rather than just journalists from Europe. This would help to ensure that players from all over the world and from a variety of leagues are considered for the award. The panel could consist of former players, coaches, and other soccer experts who are knowledgeable about the game and can provide an unbiased opinion. This would make the award more credible and representative of the global soccer community.
In conclusion, changes need to be made to the Ballon d’Or award to make it more diverse, democratic, and inclusive. Introducing a fan vote component or having a panel of experts from a variety of countries and leagues could help to achieve this goal. Whatever the solution, it is clear that the current system is not working and needs to be reevaluated to keep the award relevant and interesting for fans.