Ballon d’Or or FIFA The Best: Which Award Truly Defines Greatness?

The real difference between Ballon d’Or and FIFA The Best

Ballon d’Or or FIFA The Best: Which Award Truly Defines Greatness?

Football fans eagerly await the annual award season where the world’s top players are celebrated on 2 of the biggest stages: the Ballon d’Or and FIFA’s The Best.

Both are prestigious but they differ in organisers, voting systems, timing and meaning for players' careers.

Who organises each award?

• Ballon d’Or: Run by France Football in partnership with UEFA on gala night rewarding the best player of the evaluated season.
• The Best: Presented by FIFA since 2016 covering multiple categories including men's and women’s best player, coaches, goalkeepers, the Puskas Award and fan / fair play honours.

Voting method .. who decides?

• Ballon d’Or: Voting's journalist led. Selected reporters from FIFA's to ranked nations rank their top 10 player with points tallied to form the final ranking.
• The Best: Uses mixed system. Votes are split equally between national team coaches, national team captains, selected journalists and fans.

Time window & ceremony dates

• Ballon d’Or: Since 2022 evaluated by season. The 2025 edition covers Aug 2024 - Jul 2025 with the gala on 22 Sep 2025 in Paris.
• The Best: Stays aligned with the calendar year. The 2024 winners were announced on 17 Dec 2024 and future editions are expected around the same period.

Trophies & presentation

• Ballon d’Or: Iconic golden ball on pyrite base, about 31cm tall and nearly 7kg. Valued for prestige rather than material.
• The Best: Modern silver black design, 31cm tall and 6.4kg, topped with replica of the 1930 World cup ball.

This time, it's the 2025 one....

Ballon d'Or loading [■■■■■■■■■□] 95% #ballondorpic.twitter.com/loRbqUQArT

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 21, 2025

• Ballon d’Or: Journalists assess 3 factor (individual brilliance, team success & fair play).
• The Best: Broader, with input from coaches, captains, journalists and fans often reflecting collective or recent sentiment.

Why both awards matter?

Winning either elevates player's profile & market value. The Ballon d’Or carries unmatched history and media prestige

While The Best represents FIFA’s global stamp and gives weight to wider voices in football.