As the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony approaches, one question is sparking debate among football fans.

Can a player win the Ballon d'Or without having won the Champions League?

Or is the UCL an essential requirement for securing the most important individual award?

To unravel the mystery, we reviewed all 69 editions of the Ballon d'Or and found a compelling pattern that answers these questions.

What do the historical statistics say?

Throughout history, only 21 footballers have won the Champions League (or European Cup) and the Ballon d'Or in the same year.

This represents 30.4% of the total.

This means that nearly 7 out of 10 winners (69.6%) claimed the individual award without having lifted Europe's premier club trophy that season.

Players who won the Champions League and the Ballon d'Or in the same year

The final conclusion

Naturally, winning the Champions League increases one’s chances of ranking high in the Ballon d’Or voting, but it doesn’t guarantee victory in the most prestigious individual award. Historical data confirms it.

To win the Ballon d'Or, one must have been the best player of the season, not just of the UEFA Champions League.

So, given this landscape, who will be the big winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or?

We will find out on October 26th in London.