The 2022 Ballon d'Or () was the 66th annual presentation of the Ballon d'Or, presented by France Football, recognising the best footballers in the world during the 2021–22 season. For the first time in the history of the award, it was given based on the results of the European season, instead of the calendar year. The nominees for the ceremony were announced on 12 August 2022, and the ceremony was held on 17 October.
Karim Benzema won the Ballon d'Or, for successfully leading Real Madrid to win both UEFA Champions League and La Liga. Alexia Putellas claimed the Ballon d'Or Féminin, following her successful domestic campaign with Barcelona. In the other award categories, Gavi was given the Kopa Trophy, Thibaut Courtois won the Yashin Trophy, Robert Lewandowski was presented the newly named Gerd Müller Trophy, Sadio Mané was awarded the inaugural Sócrates Award, and Manchester City claimed the Club of the Year award. Reigning winner Lionel Messi was not nominated for the award for the first time since 2005.
Ballon d'Or
Following a successful season with Real Madrid, Karim Benzema was awarded the 2022 Ballon d'Or, finishing ahead of Sadio Mané in second place and Kevin De Bruyne in third. With his club, Benzema won the UEFA Champions League and the La Liga title. He was instrumental in the Spanish side's progress through the knockout phase of the Champions League, scoring crucial goals against Manchester City in the semi-final legs, as well as netting hat-tricks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in the round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively. He was selected in the tournament's team of the season as the top scorer and Player of the Season. In the domestic league, Benzema won the Pichichi Trophy as the top scorer, earning a place in the La Liga Team of the Season. With France, he helped win the country's first UEFA Nations League, scoring in the final with a 'Player of the match' performance. Among other awards, Benzema won the 2021 French Player of the Year, La Liga Player of the Season, Real Madrid Player of the Season, the Onze d'Or, and was selected in the IFFHS, European Sports Media, and L'Équipe teams of the season.
For players who appeared for multiple clubs during the season, only the most recent club is listed: +2022 Ballon d'Or rankingRankPlayerNationalityPositionClubPoints1Forward Real Madrid5492Forward Liverpool1933Midfielder Manchester City1754Forward Bayern Munich1705Mohamed SalahForward Liverpool1166Forward Paris Saint-Germain857Goalkeeper Real Madrid828Vinícius JúniorMidfielder Real Madrid619Midfielder Real Madrid2010Forward Borussia Dortmund1811Son Heung-minForward Tottenham Hotspur512Midfielder Manchester City413Forward Ajax214FabinhoMidfielder Liverpool2Forward AC Milan216Defender Liverpool117CasemiroMidfielder Real Madrid1Midfielder Liverpool1Forward Juventus120Forward Manchester United021Forward Tottenham Hotspur022Defender Liverpool0Midfielder Manchester City0Midfielder Manchester City025Defender Manchester City0Midfielder Bayern Munich0Goalkeeper AC Milan0Forward RB Leipzig0Forward Benfica0Defender Chelsea0
Ballon d'Or Féminin
Alexia Putellas won the 2022 Ballon d'Or Féminin finishing ahead of European champion Beth Mead and Australian international Sam Kerr. She had a successful season with Barcelona, scoring in the UEFA Women's Champions League final, and winning the Primera División, Copa de la Reina and Supercopa de España. Putellas scored 34 goals within 42 appearances in all competitions, and she was awarded UWCL Player of the Season and included in the 2021–22 UWCL Team of the Season; she was also later awarded The Best FIFA Women's Player of the year, the UEFA Women's Player of the Year Award, and the IFFHS Women's Player and Playmaker of the Year.
For players who appeared for multiple clubs during the season, only the most recent club is listed: +2022 Ballon d'Or Féminin rankingRankPlayerNationalityPositionClubPoints1Midfielder Barcelona1782Forward Arsenal1523Forward Chelsea744Midfielder VfL Wolfsburg445Midfielder Barcelona436Forward VfL Wolfsburg377Forward Lyon298Defender Lyon269Midfielder Lyon2110Defender Manchester City2011Forward Arsenal1412Goalkeeper Lyon1013Forward San Diego Wave1014Defender Lyon915Defender Chelsea616Forward Barcelona417Forward Paris Saint-Germain418Forward Washington Spirit319Forward Barcelona320Forward Paris Saint-Germain1
Kopa Trophy
Gavi won the 2022 Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best performing footballer under the age of 21 during the season; he finished ahead of the likes of Eduardo Camavinga and Jamal Musiala, who had successful club seasons with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively. Starting his season as a relatively unknown Spanish academy product, Gavi was handed his Barcelona debut aged 17 against Getafe in August 2021, making him the fourth youngest player to play in La Liga for Barcelona. After he established himself as a regular in Ronald Koeman's side, Spain national team manager Luis Enrique gave him a senior debut against Italy in the UEFA Nations League semi-final on 6 October 2021, making him the youngest player to represent the national team. Despite not winning any trophies at club or international level, Gavi personally had a successful club season with Barcelona, scoring two goals in 47 appearances in all competitions, playing regularly as a midfielder.
For players who appeared for multiple clubs during the season, only the most recent club is listed: +2022 Kopa Trophy rankingRankPlayerNationalityPositionClubPoints1GaviMidfielder Barcelona592Midfielder Real Madrid513Midfielder Bayern Munich474Midfielder Borussia Dortmund315Defender Paris Saint-Germain96Midfielder Ajax3Defender RB Leipzig8Midfielder Arsenal39Forward Borussia Dortmund110Midfielder Bayer Leverkusen0
Yashin Trophy
Belgian international Thibaut Courtois won the 2022 Yashin Trophy, awarded to the best performing goalkeeper during the 2021–22 season. During a very successful campaign with Real Madrid, he won both the UEFA Champions League and La Liga as a regular in the team, establishing himself as a prominent contender for the award. Aged 30 at the time of receiving the award, Courtois made the most saves of any goalkeeper featuring in the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League; during the competition's final against Liverpool, he made nine saves and was named man of the match. Courtois won the award ahead of Alisson and Ederson, who both shared the 2021–22 Premier League Golden Glove. The 2021 award winner, Gianluigi Donnarumma, was not nominated for the award.
+2022 Yashin Trophy rankingRankPlayerNationalityClubPoints1 Real Madrid4562 Liverpool1083Ederson Manchester City724 Chelsea615 AC Milan456 Eintracht Frankfurt277 Bayern Munich258 Atlético Madrid179 Sevilla1710 Tottenham Hotspur9
Gerd Müller Trophy
Polish striker Robert Lewandowski won the 2022 Gerd Müller Trophy, awarded to the highest-scoring striker of the 2021–22 season. After previously being known as the Striker of the Year award it was renamed as the Gerd Müller Trophy after German striker Gerd Müller died in August 2021. Lewandowski scored 57 goals in 56 matches, seven more than second placed Kylian Mbappé; he also finished fourth in the 2022 Ballon d'Or ranking, behind only Karim Benzema, Sadio Mané and Kevin De Bruyne. During his prolific season with Bayern Munich, Lewandowski lifted the Bundesliga title, as well as earning other personal honours such as the European Golden Shoe and the Golden Foot. This was Lewandowski's second time winning the award, after he won the inaugural edition in 2021. +2022 Gerd Müller Trophy winnerRankPlayerNationalityPositionClubGoals1 Robert Lewandowski Forward Bayern Munich57
Sócrates Award
On 21 September 2022, France Football announced the creation of the 'Sócrates Award' which identifies "the best solidarity actions carried out by committed champions." The award is named after the late Brazilian footballer Sócrates, in honour of the player using his platform as an international footballer to support democratic regimes and opposing the military dictatorship in Brazil at the time. Sócrates co-founded the Corinthians' Democracy, an ideological football movement originating within the Brazilian club Corinthians which fought against the authoritarian regime by promoting democratic practices within the region, including urging people to vote in Brazilian multiparty elections. Liverpool player Sadio Mané won the inaugural award for charity work conducted in his home country, Senegal. The forward financed and reinvested in new facilities within his hometown Bambali, including a school, petrol station and hospital. Mané donated to the Senegalese National Committee fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, he financed a 4G internet service for the town and commissioned a €70-a-month stipend to each family in his hometown. Outside of his charity work, Mané had a successful personal season with Liverpool, winning the FA Cup and EFL Cup and reaching the UEFA Champions League final; he also won the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal midway through the European domestic season. +2022 Sócrates Award winnerPlayerNationalityPositionClub Sadio Mané Forward Liverpool
Club of the Year
English club Manchester City won Club of the Year ahead of Liverpool, Real Madrid and Lyon. With the most Ballon d'Or and Ballon d'Or Féminin player nominations, Manchester City succeeded Chelsea as the second club to win the award following the award's introduction in 2021. The club had João Cancelo, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva nominated for the season's Ballon d'Or, following their Premier League triumph. Additionally, Lucy Bronze, from Manchester City Women, was nominated for the Ballon d'Or Féminin, totalling six players from the club. Manchester City finished ahead of Liverpool despite having the same number of player nominations; because City's nominations were spread across the two categories, they were given the award. +2022 Club of the Year rankingRankClubBallon d'OrBallon d'Or Féminin1626355
References