Everything related to FIFA Ballon D'or 2022 : Nominees, Live streaming and much more -

The coveted FIFA Ballon D’or award ceremony takes place tonight at the Theatre Du Chatalet, Paris. Football’s most prestigious individual award will have his 66th winner tonight since its inception in 1956.

Unlike previous years when the award was given to the best player in a calendar year, the 2022 ceremony has a different criteria. This year, the best Men’s and Women’s player over the course of a season will be felicitated with the ravishing golden trophy. In simple words, Ballon D’or 2022 will be awarded to the best footballer in 2021/22.

From where will you be watching?! 👀

Schedule (listed french time)

4.30PM – Start of ranking reveal

7.50PM – Red carpet

8.30PM – Start of the ceremony#ballondor pic.twitter.com/rxBOFfFhLd

— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) October 16, 2022

From 1956 through 2006, the winner was chosen using a vote process that was challenged by numerous football journalists. But starting in 2007, votes from national team leaders and coaches were also taken into account. It was only from the year of 1995 that Non-European players were also included to run for the award.

England’s Stanley Matthews was the first player to get his hands on the Ballon D’or award in 1956 whereas Liberia’s Goerge Weah was the first African as well as the first non-European to win the award in 1995. In 1997, Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazario became the first South-American footballer to win the prestigious award.

Presented by the French news magazine, France Football, Ballon D’or is a dream that many footballers want to achieve but only a few determined ones fulfil it. Lionel Messi has won this individual award for the most number of times i.e 7, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with 5. The latter also has the most Ballon D’or nominations with 18 to his name.

In 1963, Lev Ivanovich Yasin from Soviet Union (now Russia) became the first goalkeeper to win Ballon D’or and he is still the only GK to do so. Former greats – Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco Van Besten have won the award thrice.

This year, Karim Benzema is regarded as the favourite player to win the award. He had an outstanding trophy laden 2021/22 season with Real Madrid and France. Many would argue that Benzema was one of the main reasons behind Real Madrid’s 14th UEFA Champions League victory.

He scored plenty of match winning goals and produced some unbelievable performances throughout the season. He showed up when the team needed him the most as he scored an hat-trick against PSG in leg 2 of the UCL Round of 16 after losing the first leg by 1-0.

In the Semi-finals of the same tournament, Benzema scored in both legs and eventually ended the season winning La Liga and UEFA Champions League. At 34 years of age, Karim Benzema scored 27 goals and provided 12 assists in 32 La Liga matches, scored twice in Supercopa and found the back of the net 15 times in 12 UCL outings.

With 44 goals and 15 assists, Benzema is most likely to win the award for the first time in his career.

Complete Award ceremonies for the Ballon D’or

There will be three more categories other than the Men’s Ballon D’or. The event will also consist of the Ballon D’or Feminin given to the best Women’s player, Yashin Trophy to the best Men’s goalkeeper and Kopa trophy for the best U-21 talent.

Details for Ballon D’or Live streaming and Updates

The 66th annual award function is staged to commence on October 17th in France and it will be live in India from 12 AM onwards on Tuesday October 18th. Ballon D’or 2022 can be watched live on Sony Ten 2 and Sony Liv app.

30 Nominees for the Ballon D’or 2022