By September, there will be a new winner of the Ballon d’Or as current holder, Rodri will not be able to defend the award he won last year after suffering a cruciate ligament tear which saw him miss 47 games for Manchester City in all competitions.
With the just concluded FIFA Club World Cup, the race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. With the era of Messi and Ronaldo winding down, the field has opened up for a new generation of footballers to stake their claim.
Ultimately, the Ballon d’Or could come down to trophies. Cole Palmer has the most significant silverware so far, while Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi boast consistency and impact. Mohammed Salah, Raphinha, and Vitinha all have strong narratives, and players like Lamine Yamal and Desire Doué add a generational flair that could sway some voters. We take a look at these players and how they can win this prestigious award.
Among those making a strong case is Cole Palmer, who continues to shine with Chelsea and recently added the UEFA Conference League title and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Palmer’s inclusion in the Ballon d’Or conversation is justified not only by his Club World Cup success but also his pivotal role in Chelsea’s campaign across all competitions.
With 32 goal contributions (18 goals and 14 assists) in the 2024–25 season and an outstanding pass accuracy in the final third, Palmer is one of Europe’s most consistent attacking midfielders.
His ability to create, dictate play, and deliver in clutch moments has given him an edge. Some may argue that Palmer, who was awarded the Most Valued Player at the FIFA Club World Cup, deserves the spot as they draw parallels with Lionel Messi who won his eighth Ballon d’Or following his FIFA World Cup win with Argentina in 2022.
FIFA, in trying to make the Club World Cup lucrative with 1 billion pounds in winnings, increased the pot winning for the winners with Chelsea going home with 86 million pounds. Another way to make the tournament lucrative to teams definitely will be to attach individual awards to the competition.
Winning the award for Palmer will mean more clubs and players may tend to see the FIFA Club World Cup as a competitive trophy and not the pre-season tournament many pundits have described it as.
The Club World Cup win could serve as a tipping point for Palmer’s campaign.
The tournament, though often overlooked, is now a FIFA-sanctioned global trophy that adds weight to any player’s portfolio. Palmer not only participated but played a key role in Chelsea’s success, providing assists and controlling tempo in the final. It’s the kind of achievement that voters remember, especially if paired with strong domestic numbers.
However, Palmer is not alone in the running. Ousmane Dembélé has quietly enjoyed one of his most injury-free and productive seasons to date with Paris Saint-Germain.
The French winger, known for his dazzling dribbling and two-footed play, tallied 16 assists, scoring 37 times across competitions, making him one of Europe’s top creators and goalscorers, reaffirming his status as a game-changer when fit and firing.
The Frenchman won the UEFA Champions League, French Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Trophée des Champions as an integral member of the squad.
His chance could have been undisputed if PSG had won the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States of America.
Dembélé’s critics often cite his inconsistency, but 2024–25 has been a career-defining season. He managed a full campaign injury-free and improved his decision-making in the final third.
Mohamed Salah continues to be Liverpool’s talisman, even in a transitional year for the Merseyside Club.
Despite managerial changes and squad rotation, Salah has been consistent in front of goal, racking up another 30+ goal season across all competitions. Perhaps his best individual season as a player, the winger scored 36 times and had 24 assists.
Those numbers saw Liverpool win the English Premier League. However, the Premier League is only but a domestic achievement and this may dim his chances.
Another player who may highly be considered is a defender, Achraf Hakimi. His performances for PSG have not gone unnoticed despite just being a right back.
With PSG, the Moroccan has been instrumental both defensively and in attack. He has racked up numerous assists and goals from the flanks.
With PSG he won the UEFA Champions League, French Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Trophée des Champions.
13 goals, 17 assists, and 26 clean sheets for PSG pits him as a favourite. His versatility and dynamism make him a unique Candidate for the Ballon d’Or.
A rare shout for a defender in a sea of forwards and midfielders.
Kylian Mbappé may not be an eventual winner, but is definitely a top 10 contender. Kylian Mbappé made a debut season at Real Madrid in 2024–25, assisting seven assists and scoring 46 goals in 56 games and winning the European Golden Boot with 31 La Liga goals.
He became the first player in Club history to score in seven different competitions in a single season and broke the record for most goals in a debut campaign.
Although Real Madrid missed out on major domestic and European titles, they won the UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup. Mbappé’s individual brilliance and record goal tally keep him firmly in the Ballon d’Or conversation.
Desire Doué, the PSG teenager, is a dark horse but a name for the future and perhaps even the present. The French U-21 starlet has been sensational in Ligue 1, demonstrating maturity beyond his years.
While he hasn’t won major trophies yet, his performances have drawn comparisons to early-career Pogba, with his creativity, strength, and eye for goal making him one of the most promising young talents in Europe.
The youngster marked 16 assists and 16 goals in all competitions despite not being a regular starter at PSG. He won the UEFA Champions League, French Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Trophée des Champions.
His performances earned him the best young player at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Raphinha has rediscovered his form at FC Barcelona under Hansi Flick’s guidance. The Brazilian winger contributed heavily in the final third during La Liga and UEFA Champions League campaigns, showing not only flair but consistency.
His work rate and defensive contributions have also improved significantly, and he was instrumental in Barcelona’s Supercopa triumph and Copa del Rey final run, adding weight to his Ballon d’Or credentials.
The winger had 31 goals and 25 assists in all competitions for the La Liga Champions.
Lamine Yamal has taken the football world by storm with his breakout performances at just 17 years old.
The Barcelona prodigy has already broken records for youngest goals and assists in La Liga and the Champions League.
His creativity, dribbling ability, and maturity on the ball belie his age.
The player from La Masia is being tipped for his contributions to his team. 21 goals and 26 assists puts him in the conversation.
Despite being outscored by Raphinha and Lewandowski, his teammate, many culers are tipping the youngster for his overall performance.
Vitinha has arguably been PSG’s most underrated star this season. Operating from midfield, he has seamlessly linked defense and attack while offering a goal threat from deep.
His intelligent positioning, vision, and passing accuracy have earned him plaudits across Europe, and with PSG winning the domestic treble, his contributions are finally being appreciated beyond Ligue 1.
Eight goals and eight assists is an impressive feat for a center defensive midfielder who not only won at PSG but also won an international trophy for Portugal, the UEFA Nations League.
