The distinguished candidates for the 2025 Ballon d’Or have been revealed, marking the commencement of anticipation for the 69th annual gala, scheduled to unfold on September 22 at the esteemed Theatre du Chatelet in the heart of Paris, France.
Leading the pack of potential victors for this year’s coveted trophy are luminaries such as Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, and Gianluigi Donnarumma, all integral components of the Champions League-conquering Paris Saint-Germain squad. Simultaneously, Mohamed Salah and Raphinha are projected to secure prominent positions in the voting hierarchy, buoyed by their remarkable individual displays throughout the season.
In the preceding iteration, Manchester City’s midfield maestro, Rodri, emerged triumphant, etching his name into history as the third Spanish player to be bestowed with the prestigious accolade. His victory at the 2024 Ballon d’Or triggered a wave of disbelief and consternation among the Real Madrid faithful, who had confidently anticipated Vinicius Jr’s coronation.
A collective of astute journalists hailing from France Football and its sister publication, L’Equipe – alongside a curated ensemble of former footballing icons – have synergized their expertise to compile an exhaustive roster of 30 official nominees. This meticulous selection process hinges upon a rigorous evaluation of players’ performances throughout the preceding season.
Subsequent to the compilation of this comprehensive longlist, a distinguished football journalist representing each of FIFA’s top 100 ranked nations will be granted the privilege of casting votes for their top 10 players. A hierarchical points system will be implemented, with the foremost selection garnering 15 points, followed by 12, 10, eight, seven, five, four, three, two, and culminating in one point for the tenth-placed player.
Naturally, the allure of the evening extends beyond the confines of the men’s Ballon d’Or award, an honor roll boasting a lineage of celebrated recipients. France Football will also preside over the conferral of supplementary distinctions, encompassing the Ballon d’Or Feminin, recognizing the world’s premier female player, The Kopa Trophy, honoring the most exceptional young player under the age of 21, The Gerd Muller Trophy, celebrating the foremost striker in contemporary football, The Yashin Trophy, acknowledging the preeminent goalkeeper of the present era, and The Socrates Award, paying tribute to a footballer’s profound contributions to society through individual initiatives.
In an innovative expansion of the awards program, the Johan Cruyff Trophy will debut, evolving from its former designation as Coach of the Year (available for both men’s and women’s categories), alongside the introduction of the Club of the Year award (also segmented into men’s and women’s divisions), all to be unveiled amidst a dazzling ceremony. Therefore, the question looms: who are the prime contenders poised to vie for these coveted honors this time around?
Ballon d’Or 2025 nominees
The Ballon d’Or 2025 nominees in full
- Ousmane Dembele (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 Mbappe (Real Madrid, France)
- Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
- Joao 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)
Ballon d’Or Feminin 2025 nominees
The Ballon d’Or Feminin 2025 nominees in full
- Lucy Bronze (Chelsea, England)
- Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride, Zambia)
- Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain)
- Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea, France)
- Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal, Spain)
- Klara Buhl (Bayern Munich, Germany)
- Sofia Cantore (Washington Spirit, Italy)
- Steph Catley (Arsenal, Australia)
- Melchie Dumornay (Lyon, Haiti)
- Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current, Malawi)
- Emily Fox (Arsenal, USA)
- Cristiana Girelli (Juventus, Italy)
- Esther Gonzalez (Gotham, Spain)
- Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona, Norway)
- Patri Guijarro (Barcelona, Spain)
- Amanda Gutierres (Palmeiras, Brazil)
- Hannah Hampton (Chelsea, England)
- Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich, Denmark)
- Lindsey Heaps (Lyon, USA)
- Chloe Kelly (Arsenal, England)
- Marta (Orlando Pride, Brazil)
- Frida Leonhardsen Maanum (Arsenal, Norway)
- Ewa Pajor (Barcelona, Poland)
- Clara Mateo (Paris FC, France)
- Alessia Russo (Arsenal, England)
- Claudia Pina (Barcelona, Spain)
- Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain)
- Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea, Sweden)
- Caroline Weir (Real Madrid, Scotland)
- Leah Williamson (Arsenal, England)
Kopa Trophy 2025 nominees
The Kopa Trophy 2025 nominees in full
Men’s
- Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona, Spain)
- Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille, France)
- Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
- Estevao Willian (Chelsea, Brazil)
- Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid, Spain)
- Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal, England)
- Rodrigo Mora (Porto, Portugal)
- Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
- Kenan Yildiz (Juventus, Turkey)
Women’s
- Michelle Agyemang (Arsenal, England)
- Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid, Colombia)
- Wieke Kaptein (Chelsea, Netherlands)
- Claudia Martinez Ovando (Club Olimpia, Paraguay)
- Vicky Lopez (Barcelona, Spain)
Yashin Trophy 2025 nominees
The Yashin Trophy 2025 nominees in full
Men’s
- Alisson Becker (Liverpool, Brazil)
- Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal, Morocco)
- Lucas Chevalier (Lille, France)
- Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid, Belgium)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain, Italy)
- Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina)
- Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid, Slovenia)
- David Raya (Arsenal, Spain)
- Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest, Belgium)
- Yann Sommer (Inter Milan, Switzerland)
Women’s
- Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC, Germany)
- Cata Coll (Barcelona, Spain)
- Hannah Hampton (Chelsea, England)
- Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton, Nigeria)
- Daphne van Domselaar (Arsenal, Netherlands)
Gerd Muller Trophy 2025 nominees
Who is nominated for the Gerd Muller Trophy?
There is no preliminary selection of candidates for the Gerd Muller Trophy. Instead, the honor goes automatically to the player who tallied the highest number of goals across all European competitions, encompassing both club and international matches.
In the prior year, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe jointly received the award.
The Socrates Award 2025 nominees
Who is nominated for the Socrates Award?
There exists no compilation of nominees for the Socrates Award; rather, the prestigious trophy is presented in recognition of the most impactful humanitarian endeavors undertaken by a footballer on a global scale.
Jenni Hermoso received the trophy in the previous year.
Johan Cruyff Trophy 2025 nominees
The Johan Cruyff Trophy 2025 nominees in full
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