FIFA's World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or awards merge to create the FIFA Ballon d'Or award on Monday. Both awards have been scooped by one player each year since 2005, which urged world governing body FIFA to integrate them. The last time two different footballers won both accolades were in 2004, when the France Football Ballon d'Or was given to Andriy Shevchenko and Ronaldinho was named the Player of the Year. Last year, Barcelona wizard Lionel Messi won both awards. The new award is named the FIFA Ballon d'Or award. The agreement was announced by FIFA president Sepp Blatter and publisher of France Football magazine Marie-Odile Amaury. "From January of next year we will have one single trophy for the best player in the world," Blatter said. The judges for the Ballon d'Or have always been journalists. On the other hand, the winners of FIFA's World Player of the Year award used to be chosen by coaches and international team captains. The new judging system is yet to be known.
