Nominee list unveiled
The 30 contenders for the 2025 Ballon d’Or have been unveiled. This year’s competition for football’s prestigious individual honor promises to be more intense than ever, with numerous players having a realistic shot at claiming the revered trophy. Lionel Messi, who holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or titles, looks to continue his legacy. Last year’s award was won by Rodri of Manchester City, who narrowly edged out Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior. The ceremony for announcing this year’s winner will be held on September 22.
As expected, several players from Paris Saint-Germain are in the running after their triumph in the Champions League. Among the favorites is forward Ousmane Dembélé, joined by teammates Désiré Doué, Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Fabián Ruiz, and João Neves. Barcelona’s 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal is also a nominee and could potentially become the youngest ever winner, surpassing Ronaldo, who claimed the prize at 19 in 1997. Additionally, Scott McTominay, who played a pivotal role in Napoli’s Scudetto victory, is part of the nomination list. Premier League representatives include Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, and Erling Haaland.
Nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or
The complete list of nominees is as follows: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG), Désiré Doué (PSG), Vitinha (PSG), Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG), Achraf Hakimi (PSG), João Neves (PSG), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG), Fabián Ruiz (PSG), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Raphinha (Barcelona), Pedri (Barcelona), Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Scott McTominay (Napoli), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen), Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting/Arsenal), Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund).
The nominees for the Kopa Trophy, recognizing the best U21 players in football, have also been revealed, featuring these 10 names: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Désiré Doué (PSG), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), João Neves (PSG), Estêvão (Palmeiras/Chelsea), Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth/Real Madrid), Kenan Yildiz (Juventus), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Rodrigo Mora (Porto), and Ayooub Bouaddi (Lille).
