Every football fan understands what the Ballon d’Or is. The prize is given out every year to the best player on the planet.
Only six British players have ever won the Ballon d’Or, demonstrating how difficult it is to win the prized accolade. However, European players have historically had a major advantage over stars from other parts of the world.
Indeed, until 1995, only European footballers could win the Ballon d’Or. As a result, some game icons received insufficient appreciation for their contributions. With that in mind, the decision was made to establish the Ballon d’Or Prix d’honneur.
As the name implies, this was a special prize intended to honor those who deserved the medal in their prime but were ineligible owing to their nationality. However, it remains extremely difficult to win, with only two footballers ever recognized.
Diego Maradona
In 1995, Diego Maradona became the first man to win the Ballon d’Or d’Honneur. The Argentine received the award as a formal tribute to his outstanding career.
Many consider Maradona to be one of the greatest footballers of all time. Most notably, he led Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986, while also winning Napoli’s first league titles in 1987 and 1990.
There is no doubt that the Barcelona star would have received the award at some point during his illustrious career if he had been born in Europe rather than South America, therefore it is only fair that the late great was finally recognized with the honorary trophy.
Pele
In 2013, Pele became the second player to be awarded the Ballon d’Or d’Honneur. The Brazilian, like Maradona, is largely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. Both men are ranked alongside Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in that category. And, given that both Pele and Maradona won many Ballons d’Or throughout their careers, it seems to reason that they should be honored with the award, even if only in an honorary capacity.
Speaking at the time, Pele was clearly caught aback by the situation, saying, “I told my family that I would not cry, but I am emotional. First and foremost, I want to thank God for providing me the health to play for so many years.
“Of course, I didn’t play alone. When we talk about my buddies, people remember the players, but we don’t have to forget the person who cleaned the shoes or the masseuse; I had a lot of excellent people on my side. “I have to share this trophy with them all.”
“I received numerous medals and prizes, but I was envious of those who received the Ballon d’Or, which I was unable to obtain because I did not play in Europe. Now, I thank God that I can finish my trophy at home.”
His statements clearly express how important the Ballon d’Or is to footballers past and present. With the current award being available to non-European footballers, the Ballon d’Or d’Honneur is unlikely to be awarded again, adding to its prestige.
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