The Ballon d'Or Award is an annual football award for the world's best professional football player. The name Ballon d'Or translates as "Golden Ball", and that pretty much describes the look of the trophy that is awarded. The trophy is created by Mellerio boutique, a jewelry firm located at 9 rue de la Paix in Paris, France. They have designed the trophy since the first in 1956, though the design has changed over time.
The current Ballon d'Or trophy was designed by François Mellerio. According to the producers of the trophy, the manufacturing process requires almost a hundred hours of work, and begins six months prior to delivery.
The trophy starts as a sheet of metal before ending as the shape of a soccer ball. The ball sits on a block of pyrite, with it all resting on a golden brass plate. It has a height of 28 cm, a diameter of 22 cm, and it is a sphere in shape. Includes 5kg of 18-carat gold, a total weight 12kg. The trophy is engraved with the logo of "France Football" and the year of the edition, and the name of the winner.
Price: although the trophy is probably priceless to the players who win it, the materials from which it is made are estimated to be worth €3,000. Winning the Ballon d'Or would undoubtedly add a lot of value to the players worth to a team, and would greatly impact their future earning power.
Related Pages
- Ballon d'Or History
- Ballon d'Or Home
- Men's Ballon d'Or Winner's List
- History of the Ballon d'Or
- Ballon d'Or Quiz
- FIFA World Cup Trophy