Days are counting close for the ever-prestigious Ballon d’Or award to announce its 2025 winner. Among so many raving performances from the world’s best players, the contest for the Ballon d’Or title hasn’t decayed a strand as feared for the post-Messi-Ronaldo era. Here are the names of the top 5 favourites for the title who have entertained the world of football throughout the 2024-2025 season.
Ballon d'Or 2025 Power Rankings
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Raphinha (Barcelona)
Spotlights have been flooding Raphinha ever since he joined Barcelona and started manifesting his charismatic talent and skill by scoring consistently for the club. The charm beams even brighter after his 13 goals and nine assists performed in La Liga play, surpassing other title contenders.
Everyone questioned when Barcelona, one of the most prestigious clubs in the world, showed interest in Raphinha, who later cleared the doubts by leading the club to several victories. After a dreamlike Champions League in which Raphinha scored nine goals and assisted four more, the flashiest hattrick against Bayern Munich, and an epic La Liga, Raphinha is flaming with 31 goals and 21 assists right now.
Barcelona, currently dominating La Liga, playing the semi-final in Copa del Rey, preparing for a comeback in the Champions League, and reforming under their new manager Hansi Flick, depends much on the magical chances the young Brazilian creates with his feet.
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Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
Kylian Mbappe’s start at Real Madrid was nothing remarkable, yet the French star didn’t take long before exploding into life and becoming the undisputed best in the Galactico-laden Real Madrid. Even after spending the first three months struggling to score consistently, he has reminded the world how easy for him to do what seems impossible for others by scoring 31 goals and assisting with another 5 in the season’s rest.
Though he still lacks his signatory creative work, thanks to his new position as the centre-mid, the 2018 World Cup winner declared his revival with a gripping hat-trick against Manchester City last month. It’s also no wonder how much Mbappe craves the Ballon d’Or title, given that his own country confers the award. With his newly realized comfort among his teammates in his new club, he now rushes forward to touch that dream.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Everything has been favouring Mohamed Salah, leading him fast to the Ballon d’Or’s golden ball until the rhythm fell with Liverpool crashing out of the Champions League in the Round of 16. Things have gone even more south after his lacklustre presence against PSG and with his contract at Liverpool ending this summer.
With a staggering show of rediscovered form, scoring 34 goals and 22 assists, the Egyptian King has kindled hope of becoming the first African Ballon d’Or winner since George Weah in 1995. If everything were set for perfection, the 2025 title bestowing on him would be well-judged.
Now with no big international club games up front and an impotent summer ahead, Mohamed Salah’s hope for Ballon d’Or may seem slim; nevertheless, it lives to see how other contenders leverage their summer.
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Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
Harry Kane, the 31-year-old Bayern Munich frontrunner, is still sensational and giving his best to win his first-ever international trophy. Kane has been the ideal number 9 for his club under any coach, with an armament of polished skills to lead an attack or cook a quick counter-attack.
Bagging 35 goals and 11 assists for his club, Kane is as dangerous as ever, showing no weakness or reluctance to stop too soon. Though he is in close combat with Lewandowski in goal count, he stands above with a higher assist number. Ballon d’Or voters have always been demonstrating with their winners that goals alone can’t help players win the trophy. And only a few players can match the versatility Harry Kane radiates on the field.
Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain)
Paris Saint-Germain homeboy Ousmane Dembele shines the brightest in his career with his head-turning performance both in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Since leaving Borussia Dortmund for Barcelona, he has been facing despise for his struggle to demonstrate his potential on the field.
But the young French striker rebounds like a mammoth in the middle of his second season playing for PSG. With 31 goals and seven assists, he is now carrying the torch of his club’s hope to reach the end of its leagues.
Conclusion
Only a few international events took place in the last season, leaving the Ballon d’Or authority with no choice but to appraise contenders mostly based on their club performances. Players from the most popular clubs are rooting for their chance to grab the honour that comes with the Ballon d’Or 2025 win, making fans hold their breath and cross their fingers out of the sheer thrill of watching a close fight among their heroes.
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