The prestigious Ballon d'Or award has been scrapped for the 2019/20 season after France Football announced that it will not be awarded this year due to the “lack of sufficient fair conditions”, and that
2020 'should not be treated as ordinary'.
The prestigious Golden Ball has been awarded to the best player on the planet since 1956 with Lionel Messi the current holder of the award. This means that the Argentinian will hold on to his crown for another 12 months.
"For the first time since 1956, the Ballon d'Or will take a break. There will be no edition in 2020, because it turns out, after thoughtful consideration, that all the conditions are not met.
We believe that such a singular year cannot - and should not - be treated as an ordinary one," read a statement from France Football.
"Finally, the equity that prevails for this honorary title will not be warranted, especially when it comes to accounting and preparation: all the award seekers will not be in the same boat, some having seen their season cut short. Therefore, how can we establish a fair comparison? To avoid overly convoluted calculations and projections, we chose the least bad of the options.
"This decision, which was taken of course with all the Group stakeholders, does not delight us but it seems to be the most responsible one.
Protecting the credibility and legitimacy of such an award also means ensuring its flawlessness over time. The Ballon d'Or will gather again the football big family and enthusiasts in 2021, to relive the happiness that surrounds the ceremonies as we have experienced them in recent years."