“The Ballon d’Or trophy has consistently sparked debate as it is the singular individual accolade that distinguishes a player above others for their performances during a specific season.
This year’s ceremony is scheduled for October 30 in Paris, with Lionel Messi highly anticipated to secure an unprecedented 8th title. His primary rivals include Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, both of whom he faced and triumphed over in the World Cup final.
But what is the composition of this iconic trophy? While the criteria for selecting the winners have evolved over the years and new award categories have been introduced, the nature of the trophy itself has always remained true to its name – a golden ball.
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Ballon d’Or: Composition and Market Value
According to Total Sportal, the market value of the trophy is approximately $2,920 USD. The exact weight varies, with different sources citing figures ranging from 7 kilograms to 15 kilograms.
The trophy stands at a height of 31cm with a diameter of 23cm. It is crafted from brass plates, shaped into the form of a ball, and filled with wax-like material before being coated with a layer of gold.
The original design was created by Mallerio dits Mellerm, a renowned European family known for their expertise in jewelry craftsmanship.
How Much Money Do Ballon d’Or Winners Receive?
Unlike many trophies, the Ballon d’Or does not come with a monetary prize. In fact, there is no publicly known cash award from the French magazine for any of the previous recipients.
Similar to halftime performers at the Super Bowl who do not receive payment, the benefits associated with winning the Ballon d’Or are substantial.
For example, when Luka Modric broke the Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo dominance in 2018, Spanish newspaper El Confidencial reported that the Croatian midfielder received $780,000 USD from his boot sponsor, Nike.
German magazine Der Spiegel also noted that Cristiano Ronaldo had an agreement with Nike entitling him to a bonus of approximately $3.9 million USD each time he won the award. The Portuguese star has won the Ballon d’Or five times.
Messi has endorsement deals with Adidas and other major brands since joining Major League Soccer. However, it is unclear if he has clauses in his contracts that provide bonuses from sponsors in the event of winning the award. If he secures the title this year, he will be the first player not based in Europe to claim the honor.
What Is the Super Ballon d’Or?
Have you ever come across the Super Ballon d’Or? As the name suggests, this award surpasses the standard Ballon d’Or title presented annually.
As previously reported by Sports Brief, the Super Ballon d’Or has only been awarded once in history when Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano received it on December 24, 1989.”