L'Equipe Group will not honor the Ballon d'Or accolade to any player this year due to the distraction of sporting events as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Lionel Messi won the award for the sixth time in 2019 beating Ronaldo and Van Dijk for the trophy.

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 The annual award is one of the oldest presented by the France Football Magazine and generally regarded as the most prestigious individual award for football players. This year's halt due to the inconveniences is the first since the event’s commencement in 1956.

According to the Pascal Ferre, the editor-in-chief of L’Equipe Group, the absence of the award is to preserve the ‘credibility and legitimacy’ of the award.

"We believe that such a unique year cannot, and should not, be treated as an ordinary year," L'Equipe's statement read.

"In sporting terms, only two months [January and February] of the eleven generally required to form an opinion and decide between the best is too little to evaluate and judge".

"We don't love this choice, but it will help to protect the credibility and legitimacy of such an award."