Ballon d’Or Ceremony Returns to London Palladium 70 Years After Stanley Matthews Won First Award in Blackpool

The Ballon d’Or ceremony returns to England on Monday at the London Palladium, 70 years after the inaugural award was presented to Stanley Matthews at Blackpool town hall. Matthews, then 41, received the prize from Gabriel Hanot, the L’Équipe editor who created the award, along with a specially commissioned china plate from the mayor. His son, Stanley Matthews Jr, recalls the modest event: “There was no ceremony. ‘Here’s your Ballon d’Or, well done’, sort of thing.” Now a global spectacle, the return to England honors Matthews’ revolutionary impact on football. Matthews Jr, who will attend with his sister Jean and her daughters, said the family is “very excited.” The Palladium setting contrasts sharply with Blackpool’s town hall, reflecting how the award has grown into a huge event celebrating the world’s best players. The ceremony serves as a nod to football’s history while looking ahead to the next generation of stars.