Ballon d'Or explained: Messi favourite, Ronaldo's dashed 'dream' and how it works

What is the Ballon d'Or and will Lionel Messi win it again? The Athletic explains everything you need to know

Related Keywords

Dukla ,Slovakia General ,Slovak Republic ,Barcelona ,Comunidad Autonoma De Cataluna ,Spain ,Argentina ,Sadio ,Piauhy ,Brazil ,New York ,United States ,Wolfsburg ,Niedersachsen ,Germany ,Iraq ,Madrid ,Norway ,Qatar ,Miami ,Florida ,Ballons ,Rhôalpes ,France ,United Kingdom ,Italy ,Thailand ,Croatia ,Luka Modric ,Dubrovacko Neretvanska ,Mexico ,Brazilian ,Norwegian ,Mexican ,French ,Czechoslovakia ,Englishmen ,Karl Heinz Rummenigge ,Gabriel Hanot ,Pernille Harder ,Kevin Keegan ,Alex Morgan ,Christine Sinclair ,Alexia Putellas ,Josef Masopust ,Megan Rapinoe ,Lothar Matthaus ,Stanley Matthews ,Al Gharafa Younis Mahmoud ,Lev Yashin ,Matthias Sammer ,Zinedine Zidane ,Johan Cruyff ,Aitana Bonmati ,Kylian Mbappe ,Robert Lewandowski ,Sam Kerr ,Jacques Ferran ,Marco Van Basten ,Bobby Charlton ,Pascal Ferre ,Mario Kempes ,Copa America ,Lucy Bronze ,Didier Drogba ,Lionel Messi ,Michel Platini ,Franz Beckenbauer ,Ada Hegerberg ,Guillermo Ochoa ,Trinity Rodman ,George Weah ,Michael Owen ,Diego Maradona ,Fabio Cannavaro ,Cristiano Ronaldo ,England League ,New York Times ,Champions League ,Club America Mexican ,World Cup ,European Footballer Of The Year ,France Football ,European Cup ,Younis Mahmoud ,Club America ,Inter Miami ,Manchester United ,Alfredo Di Stefano ,Real Madrid ,League One ,Dukla Prague ,Norwegian Lyon ,Yashin Trophy ,Gerd Muller Trophy ,Sadio Mane ,Kopa Trophy ,Matthijs De Ligt ,Montgomery Burns Award ,Outstanding Achievement ,Super Ballon ,Golden Ballon ,Not Ballon ,Inter Miami Cf ,Bundesliga ,La Liga ,Ligue 1 ,Premier League ,Serie A ,Soccer ,