The officials behind the Ballon d’Or have clarified that securing a team title is not a strict requirement for winning the world’s most coveted individual football prize. The organizers emphasized that a player’s personal on-field contributions carry more weight than collective silverware.
While rare, history shows that such a scenario is possible. Only six athletes have earned the honor without claiming a trophy during their respective seasons. Stanley Matthews became the first to do so in 1956, followed by Denis Law in 1964 and Gerd Müller in 1970, the latter of whom excelled at the World Cup despite his squad finishing third.
Later winners include Kevin Keegan in 1978 and Luis Figo in 2000. Cristiano Ronaldo remains the most recent example, claiming the trophy in 2013. Currently, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are viewed as primary candidates for the award this year, despite ending their seasons without team trophies.
