Antoine Griezmann

We take a look at what the stars who shone at the ‘Ballon d'Or’ gala are up to now, and at their standout moments at the awards ceremony.

Now that the World Cup is over, the same old rumour resurfaces: that the Ballon d’Or winner is always a World Cup winner. But is that really true?

France went into the 2026 World Cup as one of the hot favourites to win the title, but were eventually knocked out by Spain in the semi-finals. Packed with stars and Ballon d'Or winner and nominees, boasting a squad considered one of the strongest in the world, Didier Deschamps’ side relived a familiar story: great French generations that fell by the wayside before achieving glory.