The Ballon d’Or is the most coveted individual award in world soccer, which recognizes the best men’s and women’s players every year.

French magazine France Football are the creators of the award and it’s only grown in prestige since its inception in 1956.

All-time greats such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the past winners. Legends of the game such as Diego Maradona and Pelé were given honorary Ballon d’Or awards after their playing days were over.

The Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris hosts the awards gala in the most glamorous night in the sport. With such prestige surrounding the award, the winners had to be rewarded with a fitting trophy, one that matches the grandeur of the recognition.

But, who designs and manufactures the Ballon d’Or award?

Who Makes the Ballon d’Or Trophy?

Ever since the award’s inception, the Ballon d’Or trophy has been designed and crafted by French jewelry house Mellerio dits Meller. Mellerio is one of the oldest jewelry houses in all of Europe, founded back in 1613.

The current version of the trophy was designed by François Mellerio and has been hand-crafted by a goldsmith named Jean-Phillipe for the past decade.

The manufacturing process begins six months before the delivery of the trophy and it takes around 100 hours of work to bring the Ballon d’Or trophy to life.

First, two half-spheres of brass are welding together with a blowtorch. An engraver then hand-draws the seams to fully make the sphere resemble a soccer ball. The ball is then adjusted to sit nicely on a base made out of a mineral called pyrite.

Finally, after plenty of polishing, a layer of 24 karat pure gold is added and the trophy is engraved with France Football’s Ballon d’Or logo and the name of the winner.

“The production of the Ballon d’Or remains profoundly artisanal,“ Jean-Pierre told Soccer Bible in 2024. “Designing a trophy like the Ballon d’Or is somewhat like following a cooking recipe, with precise steps."

“Knowing that the Atelier Mellerio contributed to the creation of such a trophy, which symbolizes excellence in football, is a great source of pride.“

Mellerio dits Meller also designs and manufactures the Roland Garros (French Open) trophies.

READ THE LATEST ON THE BALLON D'OR 2025—NEWS, NOMINEES AND RANKINGS


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Who Makes the Ballon d’Or Trophy?.

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