The Ballon d'Or has historically favored European players, with only George Weah's 1995 win representing a significant recognition of non-European talent before 1995.
Before Weah's historic victory, black players were hugely underrepresented in the Ballon d'Or, with only Eusebio and Ruud Gullit being previous winners.
The criteria for the Ballon d'Or were only extended in 1995 to include players from outside Europe, highlighting a necessary evolution in award recognition.
Famous players such as Pele and Maradona were not eligible for the Ballon d'Or during their careers, reflecting a longstanding bias in the award’s history.
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