The race for football’s most prestigious individual honour is officially on, as the Ballon d’Or unveiled its 30-man shortlist for the 2025 Men’s award on Thursday. The lineup celebrates players who have delivered remarkable performances across club and international competitions over the past year.
Frontrunners include Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, PSG’s Kylian Mbappé, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, and Vinicius Jr., all of whom were standout figures in their respective leagues and on the international stage.
The list also includes veteran stars like Mohamed Salah, Robert Lewandowski, and Virgil van Dijk, who continue to maintain world-class standards. Emerging talents such as Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, and Benfica’s Joao Neves have earned their place after breakthrough seasons.
Notable inclusions range from Florian Wirtz and Declan Rice to Raphinha, Achraf Hakimi, and Alexis Mac Allister, highlighting the diversity of elite performers across positions and leagues.
Regarded as football’s highest individual accolade, the Ballon d’Or celebrates not just technical brilliance but consistency, influence, and global impact. The 2025 winner will be crowned later this year at the annual gala, with fans, players, and pundits eagerly awaiting the final verdict.
Full list
Jude Bellingham
Ousmane Dembélé
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Désiré Doué
Denzel Dumfries
Serhou Guirassy
Viktor Gyökeres
Erling Haaland
Achraf Hakimi
Harry Kane
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Robert Lewandowski
Alexis Mac Allister
Lautaro Martinez
Kylian Mbappé
Scott McTominay
Nuno Mendes
Joao Neves
Michael Olise
Cole Palmer
Pedri
Raphinha
Declan Rice
Fabian Ruiz
Mohamed Salah
Virgil van Dijk
Vinicius Jr.
Vitinha
Florian Wirtz
Lamine Yamal
