There are many fans who may confuse one award with another; who supplies it and what they take into account when awarding it.
In February 2023, FIFA announced Lionel Messi as the winner of ‘The Best’ award, the highest individual honor given by football’s highest body. In this sense, there are many who may confuse this award with the Ballon d’Or, which will be awarded next Monday, October 30, 2023.
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What is the difference between ‘The Best’ and the Ballon d’Or?
Since 1956, the specialized French magazine ‘France Football’ was responsible for analyzing game situations, assessing performances and evaluating the behavior of footballers on the playing field to award the Best European Player of the Year with the Ballon d’Or.
In 1988, FIFA began rewarding the best footballers with the ‘FIFA Best Player of the Year’, although the award did not grow in popularity in the football world.
Already in 2009, both awards (Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best Player of the Year) were united to renew and innovate with the inclusion of all players in Europe, without distinction of race or ethnicity, and to create the first FIFA Ballon d’ Or to launch on next year, 2010.
However, six years later, FIFA and France Football parted ways again. Then ‘The Best’ appeared, which has been awarded by FIFA since 2016, with Cristiano Ronaldo as the first winner.
Source: Goal