‘Ballon D’or’ football - January 2011

From January, the Ballon d'Or will apply worldwide instead of only in Europe

Fifa have struck a deal with the ‘Ballon d’Or’ organisers that will replace the award for the top European player and the governing body’s world player of the year award.

From January, the Ballon d’Or will apply worldwide instead of only in Europe and will be presented at a gala in Zurich.

The Ballon d’Or is presented by France Football magazine and dates back to 1956 when Stanley Matthews was the first winner. In the last five years, the Fifa award has been a duplication of the Ballon d’Or with the same players chosen each time.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter said: “The winner is football because as of January we will have one single trophy for the best player of the world and this will be the Ballon d’Or.”

France Football have said they will expand their panel of judges to include coaches, technical experts and journalists from across the world.

Only once has a Premier League player won Fifa’s award since it was launched in 1991- Cristiano Ronaldo scooped both the trophy, and the Ballon d’Or in 2008.

Five British players have won Europe’s top award: Michael Owen (2001), Kevin Keegan (1978 and 1979), George Best (1968), Bobby Charlton (1966) and Denis Law (1964) all took home the Ballon d’Or.