BALLON D'OR
Have any American players ever won the Ballon d’Or?
Only one US player has ever picked up the Ballon d’Or, whose 2023 men’s and women’s winners are to be announced on Monday.
United States women’s national team star Sophie Smith is the only American among the nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, whose men’s and women’s awards are to be handed out at a ceremony in Paris on Monday. Were Smith to scoop the Ballon d’Or, she would become the second US woman to take the prize; however, she’s unlikely to win.
Currently voted for by an international jury of journalists, the Ballon d’Or has never been won by an American man.
2023 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony: Get all of the updated information here live online
Rapinoe the US’ sole Ballon d’Or recipient
The States’ only Ballon d’Or winner so far is USWNT legend Megan Rapinoe. Two-time world champion Rapinoe, who is to retire from soccer at the end of the 2023 NWSL season in the US, received the Ballon d’Or Féminin in 2019. The forward overwhelmingly won the vote after leading the USWNT to victory at that year’s Women’s World Cup in France, where she finished as joint-top scorer and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. 2019 also saw Rapinoe collect FIFA’s The Best Women’s Player award, which since 2016 has been the Ballon d’Or’s rival world-player-of-the-year prize.
Rapinoe’s long-time USWNT team-mate, Alex Morgan, is the only other American to finish among the top three in the Ballon d’Or voting. Morgan placed third in 2019, behind Rapinoe and England’s Lucy Bronze.
Ballon d’Or eligibility criteria excluded Americans
While recognition for US players has not been a common feature of the Ballon d’Or’s history, that’s partly because they weren’t eligible for the prize in its first four decades of existence. Founded solely as a men’s award by the French soccer magazine France Football in 1956, the Ballon d’Or was only open to Europeans until 1995, when it was opened up to Europe-based players of any nationality. It was promptly won by AC Milan’s Liberian striker George Weah, who is the father of current USMNT international George Weah. In 2007, Ballon d’Or eligibility was widened again, to include any player at any club worldwide.
Longer-running women’s award would have benefited US
Given the US’ traditional pre-eminence in women’s soccer - the country has lifted a record four Women’s World Cups since 1991 - there would likely have been more American winners of the Ballon d’Or Féminin had it been created earlier. However, it was not until 2018 that France Football introduced the women’s award, whose inaugural edition was won by Norway’s Ada Hegerberg.
US players have been among the nominees for the Ballon d’Or Féminin every year since its inception. While the shortlist has generally featured a number of Americans, though, the USWNT’s disappointing showing at this year’s Women’s World Cup is a major reason why Portland Thorns forward Smith is the only member of the Stars and Stripes among the 30 contenders for the 2023 Ballon d’Or.
And the 23-year-old is not one of the frontrunners for the trophy. Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí, who starred for Spain as they clinched their first ever World Cup this summer, is being widely tipped for the accolade. Bonmatí, who would succeed club and international team-mate Alexia Putellas as the winner of the Ballon d’Or Féminin, has already been named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.
2023 Ballon d’Or gala: when, where, how to watch?
The 2023 Ballon d’Or gala is to take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France, on Monday 30 October 2023. The red carpet is scheduled to begin at 2pm ET/11am PT, while the ceremony itself is expected to get underway at 3:45pm ET/12:45pm PT.
Viewers in the US will be able to watch the event live on Paramount+.
In addition to the men’s and women’s Ballons d’Or, a number of other awards are to be presented at the gala. They include the Kopa Trophy, for the best under-21 men’s player, and the Yashin Trophy, for the best men’s goalkeeper.