France Football magazine will unveil this Monday the winners of the Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual award that is given in world football.
The award had its first edition in 1956, although it only began to include the women’s branch in 2018. In addition, distinctions are given to the best young male footballer, the best young female footballer, the best goalkeeper, the best scorer, and also the best coach, among others.
The Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, in France, will be the scene of the ceremony, and these are some of the candidates.
Best Player
In a list of 30 nominees in which, for the second year in a row, there are no Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, the fight seems reduced to two names: Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé.
At 18, the Barcelona footballer seems unstoppable. The flag of the culé set has been made by force of dribbling, waist breaks, great goals, and an incredible personality, given his youth.
In the last season, he led the Blaugrana team to win the Spanish League and the Copa del Rey, and was one of his best strongholds in the Champions League, where Barcelona succumbed against Inter Milan in a heartbreaking semifinal series. His season included 18 goals and 25 assists in all competitions with his club.
To that are added his numbers with the Spanish national team, with which he achieved a runner-up in the Nations League, after a loss to Portugal. With the national team, he added another four goals and five goal passes.
The French striker, for his part, is also not missing scrolls. He was the leader of Paris Saint-Germain who, for the first time in its history, lifted the Champions League, and also stood out with the French national team in European competitions.
He started the season unbeatable, scoring an agonizing goal for PSG to win the French Champions Trophy. Later, he would win the Ligue 1 and the French Cup again, in addition to the “Orejona”. He was able to have his finishing touch at the Club World Cup, where he marched with overwhelming pace until falling in the final against Chelsea.
In a team where the imbalance is law, he was the judge and principal jury. He finished 2024/2025 with 35 goals and 16 assists with PSG, and another two goals with his national team in the Nations League. He has the numbers in his favor and also the Champions League in his pocket. Will he be given the Ballon d’Or?
One step further back seems to come Kylian Mbappé. At the individual level, it is indisputable: 44 goals and five assists in his first year with Real Madrid. However, he plays against not having won relevant titles in the last campaign.
The other nominees are: Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Raphinha (Barcelona), Pedri (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG), Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG), Désiré Doué (PSG), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Joao Neves (PSG), Fabián Ruiz (PSG), Vitinha (PSG), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Scott McTominay (Napoli), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) and Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)
Best Player
The Spanish are back to be a majority, and reasons are not lacking. Among them, the one that stands out mainly is an old acquaintance: Alexia Putellas.
The Barcelona midfielder left the injuries behind and had a brilliant season, with 27 goals and 21 assists to win the “triple” of national competitions. However, he lacked the strawberry of the dessert: he lost the Champions League final and also the definition of the Euro, something that can play against him in the final vote.
Precisely, his main rival for the Ballon d’Or seems to be one of the players who stayed with the European club tournament and the most important team: Alessia Russo. The Arsenal player has been overcoming and has had the best year of her career, with 18 goals and 17 assists. He crowned him with two other great titles: the Champions League and the Euro 2025, where he was a starter and scored a goal in the match in which the England team beat Spain on penalties.
The list of 30 nominees is completed: Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal), Steph Catley (Arsenal), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Frida Leonhardsen Maanum (Arsenal), Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona), Patri Guijarro (Barcelona), Claudia Pina (Barcelona), Ewa Pajor (Barcelona), Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona), Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich), Klara Büh (Bayern Munich), Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea), Esther González (Gotham), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current), Melchie Dumornay (Lyon), Lindsey Heaps (Lyon), Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride), Marta (Orlando Pride), Amanda Gutierres (Palmeiras), Clara Mateo (Paris FC), Caroline Weir (Real Madrid) and Sofia Cantore (Washington Spirit).
About The Author
