Ballon d'Or 2025: Ousmane Dembele to Mohamed Salah - Who are the 6 Favourites to win the Award?

The 2025 Ballon d'Or nominees list includes a star-studded group of footballers recognized for their outstanding performances throughout the season.

With the award ceremony scheduled for September 22 in Paris, players like Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Mohamed Salah headline the competition. The nominees represent a blend of seasoned veterans and emerging talents from top clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Barcelona, and Real Madrid.

Among the nominees, MyKhel reckons six players are by far the biggest leaders to win the Ballon d'Or this year. Although the announcement of the prestigious award's winner is still a few weeks away, here are the names who may well be the frontrunners for the accolade.

Ousmane Dembele

Club: PSG
Country: France
2024-25 Stats: 37 Goals, 16 Assists
Won: Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Trophee des Champions

Ousmane Dembele has enjoyed a career resurgence at PSG, scoring 35 goals and providing 14 assists in 49 appearances during the 2024-25 season. He played a crucial role in PSG's continental treble win, including the Champions League title, where he set a new record for goal contributions in a single season. The Frenchman also netted a couple of goals for France. His consistent performance, key goals in big matches, and injury-free run make him the leading contender for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

Vitinha

Club: PSG
Country: Portugal
2024-25 Stats: 8 Goals, 8 Assists
Won: Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Trophee des Champions, UEFA Nations League

Vitinha has been a vital midfielder for PSG, showcasing excellent control, creativity, and defensive work. His ability to dictate play and contribute both offensively and defensively has underpinned PSG's success in domestic and European competitions. His performances have earned him recognition among the top Ballon d'Or nominees, and the Portuguese replicated that with Portugal as well, winning the Nations League.

Mohamed Salah

Club: Liverpool
Country: Egypt
2024-25 Stats: 36 Goals, 24 Assists
Won: English Premier League

Liverpool's captain Mohamed Salah continues to be a Premier League standout with his goal-scoring and playmaking ability. He led Liverpool to their 20th league title with a record-equalling campaign, consistently delivering crucial goals and assists. Salah's leadership and experience keep him a strong Ballon d'Or candidate, although he may fall short when it comes to the eventual winner.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Club: Napoli/PSG
Country: Georgia
2024-25 Stats: 15 Goals, 13 Assists
Won: Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Serie A

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has emerged as a key attacking figure, impressing with his dribbling, creativity, and goal contributions, especially at Napoli and now PSG. His dynamic playstyle and ability to change games have made him one of the season's most exciting talents and a deserving nominee for the Ballon d'Or 2025. The Georgian was paramount for PSG in the final stages of the Champions League and became the player who won two titles as he also had a stellar outing with Napoli in the first half of last campaign.

Raphinha

Club: Barcelona
Country: Brazil
2024-25 Stats: 39 Goals, 25 Assists
Won: La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de Espana

Raphinha's transition to Barcelona has been marked by his pace, technical skill, and goal-scoring impact. He has contributed significantly in crucial matches, influencing Barcelona's offensive play with important goals and assists. The Brazilian was the most influential player as Barcelona won the La Liga title. With his tremendous flair and ability, Raphinha drove the Blaugranas forward last season and thus can be considered a top contender for the award.

Achraf Hakimi

Club: PSG
Country: Morocco
2024-25 Stats: 13 Goals, 17 Assists, 26 Clean Sheets
Won: Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Trophee des Champions

Achraf Hakimi is the sole defender in the list and makes a compelling case for himself. The Moroccan defender was a force for PSG last season. He was solid in defence, and going forward, was another force to reckon with. The right-back is arguably the best in his position currently, and can be a dark horse to win the Ballon d'Or this year. Apart from that, Hakimi scored goals in the Champions League quarterfinal, semifinal and final - not many have done that yet!