How much does the Ballon d’Or cost for a player and why has it become such an important event?

Tonight in Paris, without exaggeration, the dawn of a new era begins. For the first time since 2003, none will be awarded at the Ballon d’Or. Lionel Messi neither Cristiano Ronaldo among the shortlisted nominees. The first winner of football’s most coveted individual prize is guaranteed.

Father Time has decreed that it is the turn of the next generation and football’s new king will finally be anointed in a glittering ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in the French capital.

Vinicius Junior is the absolute favorite after a brilliant 2023/24 season real Madrid. Fans at the Bernabeu sang “Ballon d’Or, Vinicius Ballon d’Or” on repeat after the 24-year-old scored a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over the Bernabeu. Borussia Dortmund V Champions League Last week saw a repeat of the June final, when he also scored in a 2-0 win.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti needed no further convincing. “In my opinion, Vinicius Jr will win the Ballon d’Or,” he told reporters after his hat-trick last week. “He will receive a reward.”

That’s the expectation of most observers, but its competitors have their own complaints. Rhodriteam midfielder Manchester Citywent Spain to glory at Euro 2024 and Jude BellinghamThe decorated debut campaign with Real Madrid was also worthy of global recognition.

This means we will almost certainly have a Ballon d’Or winner in his twenties for the first time since 2015. Closing the book on Messi and Ronaldo provides an opportunity for a new figure to rise to the most elite level. The football world will be watching, as will those looking to join the next great player.

“Commercially it will be a bit of a statement,” says Owen Laverty, director of innovation at Ear to the Ground, a leading sports and entertainment marketing agency based in Manchester.

“The 2026 World Championships (in the US, Canada and Mexico) will be important from a commercial point of view and all the reports we receive as an agency ask which horses they should ride. This is the first indicator of a departure from the previous age.”

Winning the Ballon d’Or brings no direct financial reward (no prize money is offered) but serves as a strong endorsement, a surefire way to take their image to the next level. This inevitably leads to better sponsorship deals and higher levels of interest.

Today’s winner will, in all likelihood, be guaranteed a long-agreed upon windfall. Boot deals for the highest level players usually have a clause that kicks in if they win the Ballon d’Or – a mutually beneficial agreement that acts as a toast to success. Memorabilia will also suddenly become more valuable if signed by the world’s best player.

“Most players have a clause in their contracts that if they win the Ballon d’Or they will get a big bonus for it,” says Ehsen Shah, chief executive of B-Engged, an international sports marketing agency.

“This will be the only commercial deal where winning the Ballon d’Or will definitely get you that, but you get other endorsement deals where your value increases.

“The companies that sign you will pay more for you because you are considered the best player in the world. Everyone wants the best player in the world wearing boots or signed jerseys.

“They are the only two that are directly affected by it and everyone else is subjective as to whether the brand will go with that person or not because of what they have achieved.

“It is impossible to say in chronological order that Pepsi, for example, will only choose the winner of the Ballon d’Or. You can try to charge more in the market, but you can only charge what brands are willing to pay. Has anyone been influenced that much by the Ballon d’Or? It’s subjective.”

And mostly untested. Only Luka Modric (2018) and Karim Benzema (2022) have broken the duopoly of Messi and Ronaldo since the latter won the first of his five awards as a player Manchester United player in 2008. Vinicius Jr., already a Nike promotional character, should be the next test case.

“The big unknown is the commercial implications of winning,” says Laverty. “We think it makes a difference, but it hasn’t been tested.

“In the last 15 years we have only had two players other than Messi and Ronaldo. Benzema won it, but then was unable to play at the 2022 World Cup and went to Saudi Arabia. There was a surge of commercial interest, but it faded so quickly that the theory is difficult to prove.

“Where it is clear there is a commercial impact is the Ballon d’Or (women’s award). People also don’t know the players well and almost need to be told who is the best.

“It was a really useful tool in the world of marketing and brands because it was a shortcut. Immediately Aitana Bonmati (last year’s winner) became a name that people wanted to be associated with“

The reality is that the best male footballers such as Vinicius Jr, Rodri, Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland And Lamin Yamalalready has an extensive list of partner brands. Having come this far in their careers, they have attracted many seven-figure deals. Their faces are already well known.

However, the Ballon d’Or can still change the situation.

“If you were working with a Ballon d’Or winner, you would be looking at an increase in business deals of at least 25 to 50 percent,” adds Shah. “You’ll be able to agree that you’re working with the best, and it’s all backed by rewards. LeBron James has done this very well for many years (in NBA). Its brand partners are associated with this elite, record-breaking GOAT marketing.”

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The Ballon d’Or has become a very different trophy to chase in the era of Messi and Ronaldo. The award has always been worthy, dating back to its first winner in 1956, Englishman Stanley Matthews at the ripe old age of 41, but its importance has grown in an era defined by two tireless figures.

Messi and Ronaldo won 13 of the 15 Ballon d’Ors between 2008 and 2023, and the rivalry has had a lasting impact.

“The cult of personality is stronger than ever,” says Ged Colliprist, a sports marketing expert. “The increase in the Ballon d’Or award coincides with the age of social media, constant debate about who is the GOAT. The Ballon d’Or was proof of this.

“It is used to compare people, and in the age of social media it has become much more common, where we have a need to say who is better than someone else. Whether you agree with the result or not, the Ballon d’Or has become part of the conversation.

“We have reached the post-Messi and post-Ronaldo era, and this adds to the intrigue of new contenders for the throne.”

Messi and Ronaldo undoubtedly made the Ballon d’Or important. Or at least more than before.

Mbappe has spoken openly about his ambitions to win a big prize, and some big transfers, such as Anthony Martial’s move to Manchester United from Monaco in 2015, include an additional clause if the player wins the Ballon d’Or.

The name itself, which means “golden ball” in French, has become part of football jargon. Experts talk about the intangible, mythical level of the Ballon d’Or, sparking debate about the player’s abilities. TNT’s Rio Ferdinand decided to simply repeat the name of the award nine times when Vinicius Jr scored in the Champions League final at Wembley, in a 30-second clip that later went viral.

Everyone is watching Vinicius Jr.’s performance… pic.twitter.com/Gsy4t4SbY2

— Football on TNT Sport (@footballontnt) October 22, 2024

It’s hard to imagine anyone having the same immediate thought about Zinedine Zidane when he won the 1998 World Cup with Francebut in football there is an increasing emphasis on the individual.

“If we were having a conversation, even 20 years ago, and we were talking about the greatest players of all time, we would list the number of titles they won,” says Laverty.

“I’m not sure at any point we would have said, ‘He’s got three Ballons d’Or and he’s only got one.’ It’s always been the NBA NFL language. You could say a player has X titles, X MVP, and then add it all up. With the advent of the Ballon d’Or, this is becoming increasingly commonplace in football.

“All the research we’ve done is to continue to move toward the NFL/NBA model, where individual statistics and accolades become really important because they demonstrate that person’s success. “The Ballon d’Or is important for young fans.”

Change matters too. The new MVP of American sports can consolidate commercial power overnight, and these awards have traditionally meant much more than the Ballon d’Or. The slight change in football, where young fans can follow players as well as teams, means individual awards bring more recognition. And if the Ballon d’Or is of increased importance to young fans, it is also important to brands eyeing key partnerships.

“When you win NBA MVP, brands perceive you completely differently,” Shah says. “In the NBA culture, the broadcast is on, and every commercial break there is an NBA player. We don’t necessarily have that culture in Europe.

“The market has now moved on. You have Mbappe with a good list of brands, Bellingham with a good list of brands, Vinicius and Yamal. Their commercial work is already completed.

“All these brands are counting on this player to win the Ballon d’Or.”

Don’t write off Messi and Ronaldo, football’s commercial giants, especially since neither of them is ruled out. last dance at the 2026 World Cup. However, the name announced this evening in Paris will provide the strongest indication yet of where the line of succession will lead.

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(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)