Ballon d’Or 2020 award cancelled as organisers cite coronovirus disruption as reason

French organisers of the famous Ballon d’Or, awarded annually to the world’s best footballer, have announced that the award will not be held in 2020 due to the “lack of a sufficiently level playing field” caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Lionel Messi of Barcelona won the trophy in the men’s category last year, while US striker Megan Rapinoe won in the women’s category.

Organisers France Football said the awarding of the prize, which has been given out every year since 1956, would be “not worthy” of the trophy’s history.

The organisers add: “We did not want to put an indelible asterisk on the prize list as ‘a trophy won in exceptional circumstances due to the health crisis of Covid-19‘.

“Protecting the credibility and legitimacy of such a prize also means guaranteeing its irreproachability over time.”

Pascal Ferré, editor-in-chief of France Football, adds: “For the first time since 1956, the Ballon d’Or will take a break.

“There will be no edition in 2020, because it turns out, after thoughtful consideration, that all the conditions are not met.

“We believe that such a singular year cannot – and should not – be treated as an ordinary one.

“From a sports perspective, two months (January and February), out of the 11 generally required to form an opinion and decide who should lift the trophies, represent far too little to gauge and judge, without forgetting that the other games were played – or will be played – in unordinary conditions (behind closed doors, with five replacements, Champions League played in a single game).”

England’s Stanley Matthews was the first winner of the award when he was voted European Footballer of the Year.

Until 1995, only European players have been awarded the Ballon d’Or, when it was extended to any player from a European club.

From 2007, it was extended to footballers from the rest of the world.

The list of the 30 nominated players is drawn up by the editorial staff of the French magazine. The winner is chosen by journalists from all over the world, with one representative from each nation.