The Ballon d’Or will not be awarded this year for the first time since it was launched in 1956 due to the disruption of the 2019-20 footballing season by the coronavirus pandemic organisers France Football announced on Monday.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi won the men’s award for a record sixth time last year with US star Megan Rapinoe claiming the women’s award.
Organisers say the “unique” nature of the 2020 footballing year with games being played behind closed doors and new formats being adopted for inter club competitions means “conditions are not met” to objectively decide deserving winners of the award which is given to the best male and female footballers.
Most leagues have resumed from the coronavirus-enforced break with games held without fans in closed stadiums while UEFA has modified the knockout stages of the Europa League and Champions League as straight one-legged knockouts to be played in venues in Germany and Portugal respectively.
“For the first time since 1956, the Ballon d’Or will take a break. There will be no 2020 edition, because it turns out, after reflection, that all the conditions are not met. We believe that such a unique year cannot – nor should – be treated as an ordinary year,” France Football editor-in-chief Pascal Ferre said in a statement on Monday.
The cancelation will be a big blow to the aspirations of Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo to draw level with Messi on six awards apiece and also comes as a blow to Bayern star Robert Lewandowski who is seen by many as the frontrunner for this year’s award.
The Ballon d’Or has been awarded continuously for 64 years ever since Englishman and Blackpool legend Sir Stanley Mathews won the inaugural edition in 1956.
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