Ballon d’Or award process to witness THESE rule changes – check out

The Ballon d’Or will now be awarded based on performances over the course of a regular European season, rather than a calendar year, France Football said on Friday (March 11).

A reduction in the number of voters was among other changes announced, with the goal of streamlining the process. Voters also will no longer consider a player's career accomplishments.

France Football has given out the award to men every year since 1956 and to women each year since 2018, though both were cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic.

''No more January to December,” FRance Football said on Twitter. “The (Ballon d’Or) will now be awarded on the basis of a classic football season: August to July.''

No more January to December.

The #ballondor will now be awarded on the basis of a classic football season : August to July! 

No worries, the Qatar World Cup will count for the 2023 award. pic.twitter.com/BPvNp4jTNM — Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) March 11, 2022

Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina great Lionel Messi won for a record-extending seventh time and Alexia Putellas of Barcelona and Spain became the third winner of the women’s award for 2021. Messi edged out prolific Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski.

The switch means the next Ballon d’Or award will encompass the 2021-22 season, ending with the women's European Championship in July. The next award ceremony will be in October.

The World Cup in Qatar, scheduled Nov. 21 to Dec. 18, won't be considered until the following season.

The men's voting pool will be reduced from 170 to 100; with 50 voters for the women.

The magazine also clarified the criteria for the award. It's based first on individual performance, then team performance, and finally fair play.

Also, a shortlist of 30 players will now be presented for voting, an increase on 23 from previous editions, and there will no longer be an announcement of three finalists ahead of the award being presented.

The winner and complete rankings of the shortlist will be revealed before the end of the calendar year.