UEFA confirm Ballon d’Or partnership & two new awards

European football’s governing body announced the deal with the French private media group, which owns companies France Football and L’Equipe, on Friday. The statement explained that the pair will “co-organise the renowned Ballon d’Or from 2024”, leading to the introduction of a new accolade recognising the greatest minds of the game.

UEFA revealed that, alongside Groupe Amaury, they will present a men’s and women’s coach of the year in 2024, which will “recognise the invaluable contribution of coaches to the success on the pitch”. This will take the total number of awards during the ceremony to ten, as they join the Men’s Ballon d’Or, Women’s Ballon d’Or, Kopa Trophy (best under-21 player), Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper), Gerd Muller Trophy (last season’s top scorer), Men’s Club of the Season Trophy, Women’s Club of the Season Trophy and Socrates Award (for humanitarian work).

UEFA president Aleksandr Ceferin said in a statement: “For almost 70 years, the Ballon d’Or has stood as the most prestigious individual accolade in the world of football and is a testament to the extraordinary skill, dedication, and impact of the game’s legends and their enduring mark on the sport’s history. UEFA and Ballon d’Or are synonyms of sporting excellence, so our partnership will be a natural blend of prominence and a synergy that promises to be nothing short of exceptional.”

UEFA’s decision to celebrate the game’s greatest managers mirrors the accolades introduced by FIFA in their The Best Awards series. Current holders of that acclaim are Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni and England’s Sarina Wiegman.