On Monday, France Soccer journal awarded Ousmane Dembele his first Ballon d’Or in recognition of his excellent performances through the 2024–25 season with Paris Saint-Germain. Nonetheless, the information could possibly be a serious blow for France and a lift for Spain forward of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The trophy awarded to Dembele ensures that France will head into the subsequent World Cup with the reigning Ballon d’Or winner of their squad. Whereas this will look like an honor — and a large morale enhance when competing for soccer’s high prize — historical past suggests it carries a heavy burden.
No reigning Ballon d’Or winner has ever gone on to win the World Cup. Since France Soccer launched the award in 1956, there have been 17 editions of the match organized by FIFA — and by no means has the crew with the reigning Ballon d’Or winner completed as world champion.
France will clearly attempt to break that curse in america, Canada, and Mexico in 2026, as soon as they safe their spot by means of the European qualifiers. With a star-studded crew that includes Kylian Mbappe and Dembele, they’re clearly among the many match favorites.
Ousmane Dembele was awarded the Ballon d’Or 2025.
One other nationwide crew that appears able to contend for the World Cup is Spain. The reigning European champions, who simply this month overtook Argentina for the No. 1 spot within the FIFA rankings, have earned their standing as contenders underneath Luis De La Fuente. And Lamine Yamal’s Ballon d’Or defeat would possibly truly function a psychological enhance, if superstition performs a task.
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The Ballon d’Or curse on the World Cup
The truth that no reigning Ballon d’Or winner has ever received the World Cup turns into much more intriguing when you think about what number of of them truly reached the decisive match. Since Sweden 1958 — the primary World Cup held after France Soccer launched the award —six reigning Ballon d’Or winners made it to the ultimate with their nationwide groups.
The primary was Gianni Rivera, who in 1970 misplaced the ultimate with Italy in opposition to Brazil. 4 years later, the Netherlands, led by Johan Cruyff, fell to West Germany. In 1982, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge got here up brief with Germany within the ultimate in opposition to Italy. It was then Italy’s flip to undergo heartbreak in 1994, shedding the ultimate to Brazil regardless of having Roberto Baggio within the squad. In 1998, Ronaldo Nazario carried Brazil to the ultimate, however they had been crushed by France.
Messi dodged the Ballon d’Or curse
The sixth and most uncommon case got here at Qatar 2022 — the primary World Cup moved out of its standard summer time window within the northern hemisphere, so as to keep away from the acute warmth in Doha. That scheduling shift meant Lionel Messi, who had received the award in 2021 and would usually have entered the June match because the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, was overtaken by Karim Benzema.
In August 2022, the then-Actual Madrid ahead received the Ballon d’Or due to his excellent club-level performances, together with a Champions League title. Benzema was referred to as up by Didier Deschamps to be a part of France’s World Cup squad. Nonetheless, because of harm and inner conflicts, he by no means stepped on the sphere — though he remained on the official roster, sporting the No. 19 jersey.
Within the World Cup ultimate, it was Argentina and France who confronted off — and as soon as once more, the custom held. The crew that included the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, France, misplaced on penalties. The title went to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
