Voting for the Ballon d'Or has undergone some significant change over the years.

The prestigious Ballon d'Or voting criteria has experienced a dramatic evolution since its inception by France Football in 1956, shifting from a strict European journalists' ballot to a truly global electorate. Originally established to honor the finest European footballer playing within a European club—with Stanley Matthews claiming the inaugural prize—the selection process expanded in 1995 to include any nationality representing a European team. This modernization paved the way for Liberian icon George Weah to rewrite history that same year as the first non-European winner, breaking decades of regional tradition and setting a new precedent for international football governance.

As the game grew increasingly globalized, the award underwent another structural transformation in 2007 by opening voting eligibility to journalists from every corner of the globe, before briefly merging with the FIFA World Player of the Year award between 2010 and 2015. During this unified era, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo completely dominated the landscape, capturing a combined nine golden balls while establishing unprecedented goalscoring benchmarks for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Following the termination of that partnership, the organizers further refined the parameters ahead of the 2022 edition, shifting the evaluation period from a traditional calendar year to a standard European football season and placing primary emphasis on individual performances rather than career achievements.

Looking ahead, these continuous procedural adjustments aim to ensure the accolade remains the absolute pinnacle of individual achievement in the sport amidst shifting tactical trends and media landscapes. The recent inclusion of national team captains and head coaches alongside specialized media members has added greater depth to the voting pool, heavily influencing how continental tournaments like the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup are weighted. With modern superstars such as Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland continually pushing the boundaries of athletic excellence, the rigorous voting methodology guarantees that future recipients will have conquered both domestic leagues and international stages under the most demanding scrutiny in football history.