The 2025 Ballon d’Or shortlist is out, featuring PSG Champions League winners and other top talents. The award, based on the 2024/25 season, sees notable absences and exciting new contenders vying for football’s highest individual honor.
The countdown is on for the 69th edition of the prestigious Ballon d’Or awards, scheduled for September 22 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. This year’s ceremony promises to be particularly exciting, as the shortlist features a thrilling mix of world-class stars competing for football’s most coveted individual accolade.
Unlike past editions that relied on performances within a calendar year, the 2025 Ballon d’Or considers achievements from August 1, 2024, to July 31, 2025 — a shift that factors in key tournaments like the Club World Cup, which Chelsea famously won in the United States. This update marks the fourth time the award is based on a season-like period, aligning more closely with football’s actual competitive rhythm.
Who’s in the Running?
The 30-man shortlist, revealed gradually on August 7, is dominated by Paris Saint-Germain players fresh off their Champions League triumph. From the sensational 5-0 victory against Inter Milan in the final, PSG stars like Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, João Neves, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, and Nuno Mendes all earned a spot on the list.
Portuguese internationals Vitinha, Neves, and Mendes further bolstered their cases by helping Portugal lift the UEFA Nations League, possibly affecting the ballot positions of some rivals — including Barcelona’s teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal.
Notably missing this year is the reigning Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. The Manchester City and Spain midfielder, who dazzled in 2024, is sidelined by an ACL injury that kept him out of most of the 2024/25 season, making him one of the rare holders not nominated to defend his crown.
Among other stars in contention, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham stands tall, accompanied by talents like Desire Doue, Denzel Dumfries, Serhou Guirassy, Erling Haaland, Viktor Gyokeres, and Harry Kane. On the PSG side, winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is also included.
Barcelona’s list of nominees includes Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, Raphinha, and the aforementioned Lamine Yamal. Liverpool’s representatives are Alexis Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Florian Wirtz. Real Madrid boasts Vinicius Jr and Mbappé among their hopefuls.
Here’s the full roster of 2025 Ballon d’Or nominees:
2025 Ballon d’Or Shortlist:
- Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain, Italy)
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England)
- Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
- Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan, Netherlands)
- Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund, Guinea)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
- Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal, Sweden)
- Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain, Georgia)
- Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona, Poland)
- Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool, Argentina)
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Argentina)
- Scott McTominay (Napoli, Scotland)
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France)
- Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
- João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
- Pedri (Barcelona, Spain)
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea, England)
- Michael Olise (Bayern Munich, France)
- Raphinha (Barcelona, Brazil)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal, England)
- Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain, Spain)
- Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands)
- Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid, Brazil)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)
- Florian Wirtz (Liverpool, Germany)
- Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
How Does the Voting Work?
The initial shortlist is compiled by football journalists from French magazine France Football and the publication L’Equipe. Following this, a distinguished panel of one leading journalist from each of the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries votes to select their top ten players from this list.
Each journalist ranks their choices, awarding points based on placement — with more points given to higher-ranked players. The criteria focus on various facets of excellence: individual brilliance, the player’s decisiveness and character, performances in team contexts, the trophies won, and behavior exemplifying class and fair play.
Interestingly, current players have no voting rights for the Ballon d’Or itself, distinguishing it from the FIFA Men’s Best Player awards, where national team captains do have a say.
The Race Ahead
Among possible favorites, PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé stands out, along with big names like Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappé. Emerging talents such as Desire Doue and Lamine Yamal add excitement to the mix, while established stars like Mohamed Salah and Robert Lewandowski keep the spotlight shining brightly.
As the ceremony in Paris approaches, the football world eagerly anticipates who will lift the golden trophy and join the pantheon of legends celebrated for a season of extraordinary prowess.