How is the Ballon d'Or winner picked?

The Ballon d’Or is awarded annually by France Football, which creates a 30-player shortlist with input from L’Équipe and UEFA ambassadors. Journalists from the world's top 100 FIFA-ranked nations then rank their top 10 players based on official criteria, with points ranging from 15 for first to one for 10th. The player with the most points wins the award.