For Ousmane Dembele it was his first Ballon d'Or, while Aitana Bonmati made history. Bonmati makes historyIn the women's game, Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona became the first woman to take home the Ballon d'Or Feminin for the third time in a row. Highest individual honorThe Ballon d'Or is an annual award given to the world's best football player. The Ballon d'Or is considered one of the most important individual honors in football. Unlike the FIFA World Player of the Year, which also includes votes from national coaches and captains, the Ballon d'Or is voted on exclusively by journalists.