Ballon d’Or 2025: Top 5 contenders by power ranking points revealed days to event
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The countdown is officially on for the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony, scheduled for Monday, September 22, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
This year’s edition is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested in history, with data-driven power rankings spotlighting the top five contenders.
With just days to football’s biggest individual award night, the winner remains anyone’s guess: though many fans and pundits predict the Golden Ball will stay in the French capital.
Here are the top five players in the running for the Ballon d’Or 2025, according to power ranking by Zonal Sports.
1. Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)
Ousmane Dembélé leads the pack for Ballon d’Or 2025 after an extraordinary season that propelled Paris Saint-Germain to a historic treble. Once written off as “injury-prone,” the electric French winger silenced critics with a remarkable 21 league goals, a Coupe de France win, and PSG’s first-ever UEFA Champions League title.
He was instrumental in the 5–0 UCL final triumph over Inter Milan, providing two assists and finishing the tournament with 14 goal involvements. His Ligue 1 efficiency — a goal every 73 minutes — was unmatched across Europe. Should he win, Dembélé would become the first Frenchman this century to claim the Ballon d’Or.
2. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
At just 18, Lamine Yamal has lit up the football world. The La Masia sensation was central to Barcelona’s domestic treble, tallying 9 goals and 13 assists in La Liga while producing breathtaking moments on the European stage.
His solo strike against Inter in the Champions League semi-final went viral, cementing his status as a generational talent. Yamal led Europe in completed dribbles and became the youngest player ever to score in a UCL semi-final. Many are already whispering — could he be football’s first teenage Ballon d’Or winner?
3. Raphinha (Barcelona)
Brazilian winger Raphinha has been equally influential in Barcelona’s dominance this season. He bagged 18 goals and 9 assists in La Liga and made history by topping both the goals and assists charts in the Champions League — a feat never before achieved.
His decisive performances in El Clásico and the UCL knockout rounds make him a strong contender and a possible disruptor to Dembélé’s expected coronation.
4. Vitinha (PSG)
Vitinha, PSG’s midfield conductor, has earned widespread praise as one of Europe’s finest playmakers. His passing accuracy exceeded 95% in the Champions League, and his composure against Aston Villa and Arsenal was pivotal in PSG’s treble-winning run.
Though his six goals and two assists might look modest on paper, his tactical influence has been monumental. Still, with Dembélé dominating headlines for the Ballon d’Or 2025 award, Vitinha may be overshadowed in the final voting.
5. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Liverpool’s icon Mohamed Salah delivered another stellar Premier League season, scoring 29 goals and providing 18 assists as the Reds secured the title. His numbers were reminiscent of prime Lionel Messi, but a subdued Champions League campaign slightly dampened his case.
Even at 31, Salah’s consistency keeps him firmly among the elite and inside the Ballon d’Or 2025 top five.
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