It could be a shock if it was not a Paris Saint-Germain participant strolling up onto the stage to be introduced with the Ballon d’Or on Monday night time.
The French facet gained their first Champions League title final 12 months and reached the ultimate of this summer season’s Club World Cup. The 30-man shortlist contains 9 members of Luis Enrique’s squad.
The race to win soccer’s most prestigious award has grow to be much more intriguing now the period of dominance from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is over.
Rodri pipped Vinicius Junior within the voting final 12 months and that sparked a livid response from Real Madrid, who boycotted the occasion.
Standard Sport takes a have a look at those that are in rivalry to choose up the award this 12 months…
Who are 2025 Ballon d’Or favourites?
The Frenchman loved a stellar marketing campaign, scoring 35 targets and registering 16 assists throughout all competitions as PSG gained the Champions League and Ligue 1.
PSG sporting director Luis Campos stated: “If Ousmane doesn’t win the Ballon d’Or, it’s as a result of the individuals who voted don’t have the competence to vote for the Ballon d’Or.
“If he was referred to as Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there could be no dialogue.”
Favourite: Ousmane Dembele
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It feels virtually inevitable the 18-year-old will choose up the Ballon d’Or sooner or later and he’s the second favorite to take action on Monday night time.
That could be a record-breaking achievement. Ronaldo Nazario is at the moment the youngest winner of the award – he was 21 when he got here out on high within the voting in 1997.
Yamal shone final season and Barcelona gained La Liga and made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League, the place they misplaced an exciting tie to Inter Milan. The teenager completed the marketing campaign with 18 targets and 25 assists.
In rivalry: Lamine Yamal
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Who else is within the operating?
He has naturally gone extra underneath the radar than Dembele and Yamal, however PSG midfielder Vitinha was integral to his facet’s success.
The midfielder was an ever-present within the staff and was then named the second greatest participant on the Club World Cup in the summertime. Vitinha additionally gained the Nations League with Portugal.
So too did Nuno Mendes, who was chosen because the participant of the finals for his performances in his nation’s success in the summertime.
The 23-year-old established himself as the perfect left-back on this planet throughout the Champions League run, shining in opposition to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka.
Raphinha can also be a contender after the perfect season of his profession. The Barcelona winger has 56 aim involvements in all competitions, together with scoring 5 targets within the marketing campaign in opposition to Real Madrid and a hat-trick in opposition to Bayern Munich.
With the shortlist dominated by PSG and Barcelona gamers, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Pedri and Gianluigi Donnarumma are additionally within the operating.
What about Premier League gamers?
Liverpool have Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister on the shortlist after they gained the Premier League final season.
Erling Haaland has additionally been nominated, together with Declan Rice, Cole Palmer and Viktor Gyokeres, for his performances whereas at Sporting.
While Palmer was excellent on the Club World Cup, Salah is essentially the most lifelike hope of a Premier League participant successful the Ballon d’Or for the primary time since Ronaldo in 2008.
Shortlisted: Cole Palmer
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The Egyptian registered a outstanding 29 targets and 18 assists within the Premier League, although Liverpool’s last-16 exit within the Champions League may depend in opposition to him.
Salah has by no means beforehand completed higher than fifth within the Ballon d’Or voting however that would actually be improved on this 12 months.
