Who Will Win the Ballon d’Or 2025?

The 2025 Ballon d’Or race is heating up, with football’s biggest stars delivering standout performances across club and international competitions. From record-breaking goal scorers to trophy-winning captains, the battle for football’s most prestigious individual award promises to be closer than ever.

The Ballon d’Or 2025 is wide open, signalling a new era in football. With legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo not even on the nominees’ list this year, young stars and established talents are battling for the crown—the most prestigious individual award in football.

Who Will Win the Ballon d’Or 2025 ?

Here is the list of the top performers in the Ballon d’Or 2025 race.

Top Contenders for Ballon d’Or 2025

Many sources and power rankings agree on the leading names. Here’s a look at the main favourites and their standout facts from the 2024/25 season:

Ousmane Dembélé is arguably the leading favourite. He was instrumental in PSG’s Champions League and domestic doubles, known for his game-breaking speed, big assists, and match-winning moments. His stats this year: double digits in both goals and assists for club and country, and starring in the biggest matches.

Lamine Yamal’s

Lamine Yamal‘s age (just 18) makes his runs, assists, and goals even more historic. He’s the youngest ever on several scoring lists and played a key role as Barcelona’s creative spark.

He enjoyed a breakout year in 2024, shining for Barcelona with crucial goals and assists in La Liga and the Champions League. He also played a key role for the Spanish National Football Team, delivering standout performances in major international fixtures.

Raphinha

Raphinha also delivered a breakout year. Reliable and unpredictable on the wing, he finished high on goals+assists and was crucial in Champions League runs.

Brazilian National Football team Star Raphinha impressed in 2024 with consistent performances for Barcelona, delivering match-winning contributions in both domestic and European competitions. His dribbling flair and attacking vision kept him among the team’s most influential players.

Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah had individual brilliance and was named best player in several rankings, although Liverpool didn’t win Europe’s top trophies.

Salah was named Premier League Player of the Season, Golden Boot, Playmaker, and FWA Footballer of the Year all in one season — a historic first. With 29 goals & 18 assists, matching the Premier League record of 47 goal contributions in a 38-game season.

Vinicius Junior

Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe remain among the world’s elite, boasting top-5 finishes in most expert lists and dazzling with their speed and scoring.

Vinicius scored 24 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions, playing a crucial role in Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League triumphs, and even netting in the final.

He was named The Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year 2024, capping a season marked by both team success and individual brilliance.

Desire Doue

Desire Doue made a sensational impact in his debut season at PSG, scoring 15 goals and delivering 16 assists across all competitions, playing a pivotal role in the club’s historic treble (Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Champions League).

2025 Ballon d’Or top Footballer

The Power Rankings & Consensus

Recent power rankings and expert opinions place Dembélé and Yamal at the top two positions, with Raphinha, Salah, and Mbappe following closely behind.

While a consensus poll among leading football media slightly favours Vinícius Júnior vs Lamine Yamal for his consistency and electrifying style of play, his team honours fall short compared to Dembele’s and Yamal’s trophy collections.

While the official winner is not yet declared (as of August 12, 2025), Ousmane Dembélé and Lamine Yamal are widely seen as the front-runners for this year’s Ballon d’Or, with Dembélé’s trophy-winning performances giving him the slight edge for many analysts.

Facts That Make This Year Special

• Neither Messi nor Ronaldo is nominated—the new era is here.
• The top 5 are all under 30, showing that youth is taking over.
• PSG and Barcelona players dominate the list, signalling club form is central this year.

The football world is watching closely. Whoever wins, a new superstar will officially take the throne for 2025.

Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees List

Here are the 30 nominees for the Men’s Ballon d’Or, awarded to the best male footballer of the 2024-25 season.