Dembele, Yamal Top Early Contenders for 2025 Ballon d’Or as Anticipation Builds
The race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or is heating up, with French forward Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal emerging as early frontrunners ahead of the official nominations.
France Football has announced that the full list of nominees for both the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or awards will be revealed on August 7. This will mark the beginning of several weeks of speculation and debate before the grand awards ceremony scheduled for September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
This year’s event will continue to spotlight excellence in both men’s and women’s football, while also featuring the Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper), Kopa Trophy (best U21 player), and Gerd Müller Trophy (top goal scorer of the season).
As with tradition, the voting process will be conducted by a select group of international journalists. One representative from each of the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations will vote for the men’s award, while voters from the top 50 countries will determine the women’s winner. Each journalist will submit a ranked list of their top 10 players, with points assigned accordingly. The player with the highest overall tally will be crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner.
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Although the competition remains wide open, Dembele and Yamal have gained momentum thanks to their outstanding performances for Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona respectively. Their consistency and influence on the pitch this season have put them in pole position to challenge the reigning Ballon d’Or holder, Rodri, who claimed the 2024 title following a stellar year with Manchester City and the Spanish national team.
Other elite talents like Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and Vinícius Júnior are also expected to feature among the nominees, especially as performances in high-profile tournaments like Euro 2024 and the UEFA Champions League continue to influence the final voting landscape.
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As excitement builds, here’s a glance at the current top 5 contenders in the Ballon d’Or power rankings:
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Ousmane Dembele (PSG)
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Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
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Raphinha (Barcelona)
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Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
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Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
With just weeks to go before the nominees are made public, all eyes will be on how these stars finish the season and whether anyone can shift the narrative in their favor.