The Secret Craftsmen Behind Football's Most Coveted Prize: Inside the Making of the Ballon d'Or Trophy

The Ballon d'Or stands as soccer's most prestigious individual honor, celebrating the finest male and female players annually.

Created by French publication France Football, this distinguished award has steadily gained prominence since it was first established in 1956.

Soccer icons like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo feature among previous recipients. Legendary figures including Diego Maradona and Pelé received special honorary Ballon d'Or recognitions following their retirement from professional play.

The ceremony takes place at Paris's Théâtre du Châtelet, marking the sport's most elegant evening. Given the award's exceptional status, recipients deserve a trophy that reflects the magnificence of this achievement.

But who is responsible for creating and producing the Ballon d'Or trophy?

Who Creates the Ballon d'Or Trophy?

Since the award's establishment, French jeweler Mellerio dits Meller has been responsible for designing and creating the Ballon d'Or trophy. Mellerio ranks among Europe's most historic jewelry establishments, with origins dating to 1613.

François Mellerio designed the present trophy version, while goldsmith Jean-Phillipe has handcrafted it for the last ten years.

The creation process starts six months prior to trophy delivery and requires approximately 100 hours of skilled labor to complete the Ballon d'Or.

Initially, two brass hemispheres are fused using a blowtorch. An artisan then manually etches the seams to create an authentic soccer ball appearance. The sphere is subsequently positioned on a pyrite mineral base.

After extensive polishing, a coating of 24-karat pure gold is applied, and the trophy receives engravings of France Football's Ballon d'Or emblem and the recipient's name.

"Creating the Ballon d'Or remains deeply traditional," Jean-Pierre explained to Soccer Bible in 2024. "Crafting a trophy such as the Ballon d'Or resembles following a culinary recipe, requiring exact procedures."

"Understanding that Atelier Mellerio helped create this trophy, representing football excellence, fills us with immense pride."

Mellerio dits Meller additionally creates and produces the Roland Garros (French Open) trophies.