Nominees for the Ballon d'Or Announced
The football world is abuzz with excitement as France Football has announced the nominees for the 2025 Men's Ballon d'Or. The list, revealed on Thursday, is a testament to the exceptional performances and impactful seasons of footballers across Europe.
The nominees include some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Ousmane Dembélé (France, Paris Saint-Germain), Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona), Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid), Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City), and Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid).
Paris Saint-Germain leads the pack with nine nominees, including Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Desire Doue, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Fabian Ruiz, Joao Neves, and Vitinha. Barcelona's Lamine Yamal is also among the nominees, earning comparisons to Lionel Messi for his impressive performances for the club and the national team.
Other notable nominees include Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Bayern Munich), Raphinha (Brazil, Barcelona), Harry Kane (England, Tottenham Hotspur), Michael Olise (England, Crystal Palace), Serhou Guirassy (France, Rennes), Florian Wirtz (Germany, Liverpool), Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina, Brighton & Hove Albion), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool), Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool), Lautaro Martinez (Argentina, Inter Milan), Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands, Inter Milan), and Pedri (Spain, Barcelona).
The Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony is scheduled for September 22 at Paris' Théâtre du Châtelet. The ceremony promises to crown a first-time winner, as the previous winners have all been established stars in the football world.
Among the nominees, Erling Haaland aims to follow in the footsteps of Rodri by becoming the second-straight Manchester City player to win the award. Cole Palmer, another nominee, won the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Conference League with Chelsea last season.
However, there are several players who feel aggrieved not to be included in the Ballon d'Or nominees, such as Julian Alvarez, Moises Caicedo, Alessandro Bastoni, Ryan Gravenberch, Gabriel, Yann Sommer, Joshua Kimmich, and Alexander Isak.
Notably absent from the list are footballing legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. A newcomer to the nominees is Viktor Gyokeres, a new Arsenal signing, who has cracked the Ballon d'Or nominees for the first time in his career.
The 2025 Ballon d'Or nominees reflect a blend of established stars and emerging talents, with PSG and Barcelona well represented, reflecting their success and impact in the latest season. The football world eagerly awaits the announcement of the winner on September 22.
[1] France Football (2025). Ballon d'Or 2025: The 30 nominees revealed
[2] ESPN (2025). Ballon d'Or 2025: Full list of nominees announced
[3] BBC Sport (2025). Ballon d'Or 2025: Full list of nominees
[1] The sports-analysis discussions are heating up as the entire sports world eagerly anticipates the results of the Ballon d'Or 2025, with 30 nominees representing various European teams.
[2] The thing that sets this year's football season apart is the impressive lineup for the Ballon d'Or 2025, with sports pundits analyzing the standout performances of nominees like Ousmane Dembélé and Lamine Yamal.
