"Which footballers can compete for the 2025 Golden Ball Award?"
Messi Breaks Ronaldo's Career Goal Record without Penalties in MLS
In a thrilling MLS match on July 20, Lionel Messi scored a brace for Inter Miami, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo's career goal record without penalties. Messi now has 874 goals in his career, with an impressive 764 of them scored without the aid of spot-kicks.
Ronaldo, who has 938 career goals, has 175 of them scored from the penalty spot. This achievement by Messi marks a significant milestone in his illustrious career. However, it's worth noting that both Messi and Ronaldo were not among the nominees for this year's Ballon d'Or.
2025 Ballon d'Or: The Main Contenders
The 2025 Ballon d'Or will be announced on September 22, 2025, at Theâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The shortlist includes a diverse group of talented players from top European clubs. Paris Saint-Germain has a record number of players on the list with nine, including Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ashraf Hakimi, and Vitinha.
The main contenders for the 2025 Ballon d'Or include Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Raphinha (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Desire Doue (PSG), and Vitinha (PSG). Dembele is the favorite due to his key role in PSG’s Champions League win and strong individual performances. Yamal, a highly regarded young talent at Barcelona, is also highly rated, especially after outstanding performances in the Champions League and Nations League.
Raphinha and Salah are strong forwards from Barcelona and Liverpool, respectively. Midfielders like Vitinha and Desire Doue also feature in the top rankings. Other notable contenders include Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Pedri (Barcelona), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), and Achraf Hakimi (PSG).
Power Rankings: Top Contenders
A summary of the top contenders based on recent power rankings is as follows:
| Rank | Player | Club | Position | |-------|----------------|----------------|-------------| | 1 | Ousmane Dembele| Paris Saint-Germain | Forward | | 2 | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | Forward | | 3 | Raphinha | Barcelona | Forward | | 4 | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | Forward | | 5 | Desire Doue | Paris Saint-Germain | Forward | | 7 | Vitinha | Paris Saint-Germain | Midfielder |
France Football magazine published a list of 30 candidates for the "Golden Ball - 2025" award on August 7. This year’s shortlist reflects a shift from the previous Messi-Ronaldo era to a more diverse group featuring young stars and key players from top European clubs, especially those involved in major successes like the Champions League.
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In the 2025 Ballon d'Or race, Lionel Messi, despite breaking Ronaldo's career goal record without penalties in MLS, is not among the nominees. However, some of the main contenders for the award include Ousmane Dembele, who had a key role in Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League win, and Lamine Yamal, a highly regarded young talent at Barcelona, who excelled in both the Champions League and Nations League.
