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Golden Ball

UEFA have joined forces with France Football to co-organise the Ballon d’Or from next year.

The European governing body will take over the organisation of the star-studded ceremony, where top journalists vote on the best footballer of the year.

The Ballon d’Or has previously had involvement from FIFA, with the global football chiefs running the award from 2010 – 2015, before splitting to create their FIFA The Best gong.

France Football have run it solo, aside from that five-year spell with FIFA, since the Ballon d’Or’s creation in 1956 – when it was won by Sir Stanley Matthews – but now they’re hooking up with UEFA, which European football bosses say will “enhance the stature and global reach of the awards”.

Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or title earlier this week after steering his country to World Cup glory last year, with Spanish World Cup star Aitana Bonmati winning the women’s prize.

The merging of the awards means an end to the UEFA awards handed out in August each year, with the exception of the President’s Award which will still be presented alongside the draws for the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.

Under the new partnership, UEFA said all existing Ballon d’Or awards will remain in place with the addition of men’s and women’s coach of the year prizes. There will also still be accolades for the best player in each of UEFA’s club competitions.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: “For almost 70 years, the Ballon d’Or has stood as the most prestigious individual accolade in the world of football and is a testament to the extraordinary skill, dedication and impact of the game’s legends and their enduring mark on the sport’s history.

“UEFA club and national team competitions, such as the UEFA Champions League and UEFA EURO, are regarded as the highest global stages for elite players, often playing a critical role in players’ candidacy for major honours and their place in the football pantheon.

“UEFA and Ballon d’Or are synonyms of sporting excellence, so our partnership will be a natural blend of prominence and a synergy that promises to be nothing short of exceptional.”