The FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter, and the President of the Amaury Group, Marie-Odile Amaury, today, 5 July 2010, signed an agreement between the two organisations to create the FIFA Ballon d’Or award for the men’s player of the year. Blatter and Amaury made the announcement during a media event held today in Johannesburg, which was also attended by George Weah, the only African player to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award and the Ballon d’Or.
The award is a combination of the FIFA World Player of the Year award and the France Football Ballon d’Or, and the winner will be chosen by the coaches and captains from the national teams as well as by the media. The award ceremony for the 2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or will be held in Zurich, Switzerland on 10 January 2011 as part of a televised ceremony at which the winner of the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award will also be announced.
