Equality in Name, Inequality in Practice: The Ballon d’Or’s Unequal Game

The Ballon d’Or may finally have put women’s football on the same stage, but does it really respect it? 

This year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, held just two weeks ago, was as controversial as it was anticipated. Whilst much of the talk focused on the narrow 28-point margin separating the men’s winner Harry Kane from runner-up Kylian Mbappé, Spaniard and London City Lioness Alexia Putellas won the honour, claiming it for a record-equalling third time alongside Spain teammate Aitana Bonmatí.  

The ceremony began in 1956, with journalists selecting the best European player of the previous year, until it expanded to include all players in 2007. A women’s Ballon d’Or was only introduced in 2018. Yet eight years on, recognition alone is clearly not enough, with obvious inequalities evident in this year’s ceremony, which lacked mainstream media criticism.  

Perhaps the most confusing acceptance was that of FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta, for Women’s Club of the Year, who decided to use his time to remark on the men’s side and their Champions League prospects. This is despite the women’s side being the most successful Spanish women’s team, with four Champions League titles and three runner-up finishes, among countless others. 

It is not just the content of the women’s award acceptances that must be pointed out, but also their presentation. Despite countless legends in women’s footballing history, the only women’s player handing out awards to women was Lucy Bronze, with male footballing legends such as Michael Owen and Peter Schmeichel awarding the rest. The ceremony has garnered criticism for this in previous years, with an outcry over tennis player Novak Djokovic — infamously known to have opposed equal pay in his sport — awarding Bonmatí back in 2023.  

The inequality extends to the voting. A pool of journalists from the top 100 nations in the FIFA rankings decides the men’s award, yet only 50 are invited to vote on the women’s. This may reflect both perceptions of quality outside the top 50 footballing countries for women and the need for widening participation globally.

Away from the voting, no female journalists were permitted to ask Harry Kane any post-win questions, resulting in an official apology from the organisers. 

Smaller, but no less important, blunders included the repeated mispronunciation of Putellas’ name, as well as the incorrect winner announcement on social media, which combined Putellas’ and Bonmatí’s names across platforms. Whilst these may be blunders indeed, would such unprofessionalism be tolerated for the men?  

This is not the first time appreciation for female footballers has seemed lacking at the Ballon d’Or. Current Manchester City forward Vivianne Miedema, who finished 28th in this year’s rankings, was among those who called for the introduction of the same award categories for male and female players in 2022. This was implemented at last year’s ceremony, and demonstrates how change can be made, albeit slowly. 

Despite the disappointments at the Ballon d’Or, the award is ultimately about what happens on the pitch, and here, Scotland has reason to celebrate. Caroline Weir, Scotland captain and Lyon attacking midfielder, ranked 25th in the final Ballon d’Or rankings. Weir’s performance was nothing short of outstanding as a key player for Real Madrid before her departure in June. Her international performance has been equally impressive. With more than 120 caps and 31 goals, she ranks fourth on Scotland’s all-time scoring list. Weir became the first female Scottish player to receive a Ballon d’Or nomination last year, making this her second.

The question remains, however. Is the ceremony really an equal stage for footballing achievement, or does it instead reveal the inequalities still at large? Let us hope next year, we have fewer reasons to ask. 

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons