The Ballon d’Or has launched an initiative to crown the greatest player in the award’s history, but its unusual voting system has raised questions. Dubbed the “Ballon d’Or of All-Time,” the competition features ten football legends and requires fans to pay €1 to cast a vote. Participants can also enter a prize draw for two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony, adding a commercial dimension to the search for football’s greatest player.
The shortlist includes Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Marco van Basten, Johan Cruyff, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Michel Platini, Ronaldo Nazário, Kevin Keegan and Franz Beckenbauer. Each player has won the Ballon d’Or at least twice, making the selection a celebration of different generations of footballing excellence.
To participate, fans must create an account on the official website, be at least 18 years old and purchase a digital photograph of the trophy for €1. Each additional vote requires another purchase, while the prize draw will select a winner from eligible entries. Organisers plan to announce the result on October 28.
Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. Paris time on October 27, 2026. The terms and conditions allow organisers to modify or suspend the process under certain circumstances and provide for identity checks and the exclusion of fraudulent entries. Amaury International Team Limited, based in Dublin, manages the initiative under Irish law. Although the project aims to celebrate the sport’s greatest icons, its pay-to-vote format raises questions about whether the outcome will reflect fans’ genuine preferences or favour players whose supporters are more willing to pay for multiple votes. The final result could therefore generate as much debate about the voting system as about the identity of football’s greatest player.
