The Socrates Award at the 2026 Ballon d’Or honors humanitarian work and social initiatives connected to soccer, making it one of the ceremony’s most distinctive prizes. It recognizes impact away from the field.
Created in 2022 by France Football in collaboration with Peace and Sport, the award is named after Brazilian legend Socrates. The former Corinthians captain used his platform to advocate for democracy and the rights of players.
The 2026 ceremony will mark the award’s fifth edition when the Ballon d’Or returns on October 26 at the London Palladium Theatre. Previous winners include Sadio Mane, Vinicius Junior, Jenni Hermoso and Fundacion Xana.
Who are the nominees for the 2026 Socrates Award?
There is no official list of nominees for the 2026 Socrates Award. Unlike the Ballon d’Or, Kopa Trophy, Yashin Trophy and other categories at the ceremony, the Socrates Award is presented without a published shortlist of candidates.
Sadio Mane receives the Socrates Trophy in 2022 (Source: Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
The selection process focused on the projects and causes supported by committed players rather than on a conventional player ranking. The previous winners illustrate the type of work the award seeks to highlight.
Sadio Mane received the inaugural prize in 2022 for projects including the construction of schools and a hospital in Senegal, while Vinicius Junior won in 2023 for his work in education and his fight against racism.
Jenni Hermoso followed in 2024, and the Xana Foundation, created by Luis Enrique, received the 2025 award.
Why is the Ballon d’Or award named after Socrates?
The Socrates Award is named after Brazilian soccer legend Socrates because of his commitment to social and political causes, particularly his fight for democracy in Brazil.
A medical doctor as well as an influential midfielder, he became known for using his public platform to advocate for social change rather than limiting his influence to soccer.
He was one of the central figures of Corinthians’ Democracy movement during Brazil’s military dictatorship. He pushed for greater participation and freedom within the club and became an important voice for democracy in the country.
His combination of soccer, education and social activism made him a natural figure to represent an award centered on impact beyond the pitch. The award was created in 2022 by the Ballon d’Or organization.
France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia has explained that the idea was to show another side of soccer players by recognizing those who dedicate their time, resources and influence to helping others.
How is the Socrates Award winner chosen?
The Socrates Award winner is selected by a committee involving France Football, L’Equipe and Peace and Sport, which evaluates the social and charitable projects supported by soccer figures. The award does not use the standard international journalists’ voting system or a public points-based ranking.
Peace and Sport plays a particularly important role in assessing the projects because of its expertise in identifying initiatives with meaningful social impact. The organizations look at the actions carried out by the candidates and the causes they support, with the objective of recognizing projects that can make a positive difference in communities.
That makes the Socrates Award fundamentally different from most of the other Ballon d’Or honors. While awards such as the Ballon d’Or, Kopa Trophy and Yashin Trophy focus on sporting performance, this is centered on what a soccer figure does off the pitch and the broader impact of that work.
