# Ballon d’Or gala returns to England honouring inaugural winner Stanley Matthews

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/ballon-dor-ceremony-returns-to-england-in-nod-to-revolutionary-stanley-matthews/
- Published: 2026-10-25T08:00:58+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-25T08:17:16+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/25/ballon-dor-ceremony-returns-to-england-in-nod-to-revolutionary-stanley-matthews
- Topics: Americas, Football, Sport, UK, World

## Key points

- The Ballon d’Or returns to England in tribute to Stanley Matthews.
- Matthews won the first award in 1956, aged 41.
- He played until 50 and pioneered new training methods.

## Summary

The Ballon d’Or ceremony is being held in England for the first time in decades, at London’s Palladium, in tribute to Stanley Matthews, the inaugural winner in 1956. The move revives attention on Matthews’ pioneering career and marks the contrast between the award’s modest beginnings in Blackpool and its status as a major football event.

Matthews was 41 when he received the first award at Blackpool town hall, and remains the oldest winner. He earned 54 England caps, won a knighthood in 1965 and continued playing until he was 50; his son says his training, lightweight boots and attention to pitch conditions were ahead of their time. Players’ wages were capped at £20 a week for much of Matthews’ career, and he supplemented his income through business ventures and overseas coaching.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.