Following the controversy surrounding Lionel Messi's Ballon d'Or win last year, France Football has announced that there will be major changes made to the award's criteria.
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The prestigious accolade was historically awarded to the footballer who received the most votes from 170 leading journalists around the world based on their performances throughout a calendar year, although there was more taken into account.
A player's career achievements and their collective accomplishments were also previously considered by voters, but the organisers of the prize, France Football, has now revealed that several adjustments will be made ahead of the 2022 edition.
According to Get French Football News, the Ballon d'Or will no longer be based on a player's displays in a year and will move in line with the main European season (August to May), and will thus be handed out in September or October every year.
This suggests that performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar cannot factor into the minds of the voting journalists for the 2022 edition, with the number of voters also decreasing from 170 to 100.
Furthermore, there will be more focus on individual brilliance rather than what a player has achieved with his team or country in terms of silverware, while a player's entire career will no longer be a part of the criteria either.
The same process will be followed for the women's Ballon d'Or.
Here is a reminder of the final top 10 ranking for the 2021 Ballon d'Or prize:
