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When Flórián Albert claimed the 1967 Ballon d'Or, the trophy was handed to him in his own kitchen.
After being forced to withdraw from Hungary's match against the USSR through injury, the original plan to present Albert with the award in front of a full stadium fell apart. His manager, Károly Sós, flatly refused the suggestion that his player be honored in the team hotel, leaving France Football's editor-in-chief at the time, Max Urbini, with no choice but to stage an impromptu ceremony beside the refrigerator. Albert's wife, the celebrated actress Irén Bársony, was the sole witness.
The modern ceremony looks quite a bit different.
Setting aside the absence of kitchen appliances, the London Palladium accommodates considerably more guests than just the winner's partner. On football's equivalent of Oscar night, the celebrities turned out in full force.
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Sophie Turner
Veteran Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner wasn't about to let such a significant occasion pass her by. Best known for her iconic portrayal of Sansa Stark, the actor found herself mingling with the upper echelons of the soccer world — a community that is, thankfully, somewhat less intertwined than her former on-screen family.
French Montana
.@FrencHMonTanA opens the 70th Ballon d'Or Ceremony red carpet!#ballondor pic.twitter.com/D04iZPPbTl
Moroccan-American rapper French Montana had the honor of "opening" the red carpet proceedings, though he appeared somewhat unsteady as he swayed atop a double-decker bus navigating a corner at questionable speed.
Burna Boy
French Montana was far from the only musician to grace the red carpet. Nigerian artist Burna Boy, who appeared alongside Shakira at what felt like every World Cup match over the summer, was also present.
Unlike his North American tour dates, the artist was not required to perform on Monday evening.
Jorja Smith
Like Montana, U.K. singer Jorja Smith was present ahead of a scheduled performance. The West Midlands-born artist isn't particularly known as a football enthusiast, but has previously lent her support to the respected charity Football Beyond Borders, which uses young people's passion for the game to deliver educational and social benefits.
Paddy Pimblett
Outspoken MMA fighter Paddy Pimblett is a devoted Liverpool supporter and makes no secret of his disdain for fans of the reigning Premier League champions. "I hate Arsenal fans," Paddy the Baddy told Wayne Rooney last season. "Arsenal fans are the worst fanbase in the world."
One can only hope Mikel Arteta hadn't caught wind of those remarks when the two were spotted together on the red carpet.
Caroline Daur
The German model is a poser only in the most literal sense. A genuine football enthusiast, Caroline Daur attended the 2026 World Cup final and, with Germany absent from the occasion, threw her support behind Spain.
Fabrizio Romano
"That's not normal at all!" 😳
Fabrizio Romano gives Kylian Mbappé his flowers 💐 pic.twitter.com/MfrKIO8Rph
Football's most prolific — and polarizing — social media figure stepped away from his X account and set down his phone for some genuine face-to-face interaction. Romano still managed to post throughout the evening, fitting it in between his on-camera segments as one of DAZN's studio pundits.