PSG Leads the Nominees for the Men's Ballon d'Or Award
The much-anticipated list of nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or men's award has been unveiled, featuring an array of top talents from across Europe[1][2][3][4]. The ceremony, scheduled for September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris[2][3], promises to be a celebration of footballing excellence.
Notable names on the list include Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England), and Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain, Italy)[1]. Paris Saint-Germain has a strong presence among the nominees, with nine players making the cut, a testament to their Champions League success[1][2][3].
One surprising inclusion is Scott McTominay, who has been recognised as Serie A MVP for Napoli[5]. If McTominay were to win, he would become the second Scot to claim the award, following Denis Law in 1964, and the first player from Naples to do so[6]. Moreover, McTominay's nomination marks the first time a Scottish player has been nominated for the award since Ally McCoist in 1987[7].
Another intriguing possibility is that a player from Barcelona will win the award for the first time. Barcelona has four nominees, including the youngest, Lamine Yamal, who is 18 years old, and the oldest, Robert Lewandowski, who is 36 years old[8]. If Robert Lewandowski wins, he would be the first player from Barcelona to do so.
Real Madrid, who boycotted last year's award ceremonies, claiming they were outraged that Rodri was preferred over Vinicius, have three nominees this year, including Vinicius[9]. If Vinicius wins, he would be the first player from Real Madrid to win the award since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2017[10].
Interestingly, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are not on the list of nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or[1]. The full list of nominees includes:
- Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain, Italy)
- Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
- Denzel Dumfries (Inter, Netherlands)
- Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund, Guinea)
- Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP/Arsenal, Sweden)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
- Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco)
- Harry Kane (Bayern, England)
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli/Paris Saint-Germain, Georgia)
- Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona, Poland)
- Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool, Argentina)
- Lautaro Martínez (Inter, Argentina)
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France)
- Scott McTominay (Napoli, Scotland)
- Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
- João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)
- Michael Olise (Bayern, France)
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea, England)
- Pedri (Barcelona, Spain)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)
- Declan Rice (Premier League, England)
- Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid, Brazil)
- Raphinha (Atlético Madrid/Brazil)
- Others from PSG including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi[1][2][3][4].
The nominees were selected by France Football in collaboration with UEFA and L'Équipe, with votes cast by journalists from FIFA's 100 top-ranked nations based on players' performances during the last season[2][3]. Last year's winner, Rodri, is not nominated due to injury[1].
Paris Saint-Germain claimed the Champions League in the recent season, adding to their strong representation in the nominees[11]. The 2025 Ballon d'Or shortlist consists of 30 official nominees, ready to shine on the stage in Paris on September 22.
In the upcoming Ballon d'Or ceremony, football fans eagerly anticipate the celebration of footballing excellence, with several Champions League winners among the nominees, such as Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid players. Notably, the Champions League winners, Paris Saint-Germain, boast nine nominees, showcasing their dominance in both sports and the Champions League.
