It is no longer enough to be the best on-field player to have a shot at the Ballon d'Or, soccer's top individual prize. Players must also make their case in the media, and that takes a lot of work.
What does it take to win the men's Ballon d'Or? Regular world-class performances, at least one major trophy in the past 12 months, big goals when it matters most, superstar status and, increasingly, a PR campaign on a par with a presidential election. Trophies remain the ultimate currency for the world's top footballers, and none come bigger than the Champions League and the men's World Cup. For those at the summit of the game, though, the honor of winning is everything, combining ego, commercial value, legacy and a place in the history books.
Messi has eight Ballons d'Or and Cristiano Ronaldo has five, with the trophies made by Parisian jewelry house Mellerio dits Meller. This year the competition is as open as it has been in the modern era, with the Messi and Ronaldo era fast approaching its end. Leading candidates Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé have all had superlative seasons, but only one can take the prize.
The campaigning has grown more visible. Yamal, Mbappé and Kane each gave at least two major interviews about their chances before the voting closed on Sept. 28. A representative of a previous winner told ESPN the tone had become "quite unedifying," and that the PR drive seemed to be "Give me the Ballon d'Or because I've scored lots of goals." Kane pointed to 73 goals last season, the second-highest tally in history, while Yamal, who would be the youngest winner at 19, argued that only he or Mbappé deserved it this year.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing