The organizers of the prestigious Ballon d’Or award have unveiled the shortlisted nominees for the 2025 edition. The list, announced on Thursday, was compiled by top journalists worldwide and shared across official social media platforms.
Among the standout nominees are Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), and Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal). Only three African players made the top 30 rankings: Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, and Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy. Salah guided Liverpool to Premier League glory while finishing as the league’s top scorer. Hakimi played a key role in PSG’s UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, and French Cup triumphs. Guirassy impressed for Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and Club World Cup, including a crucial goal against Real Madrid.
Other notable nominees include Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), and Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan). The 2025 award is expected to be a tight race between Yamal, Dembélé, and Mbappé. The ceremony will take place on September 22 at Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet.
