Ballon d'Or 2025: the five favourites 🏆 | OneFootball

On Thursday afternoon, the famous list of 30 contenders for the Ballon d'Or was formalized. While waiting for the verdict on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet, let's focus on the favorites.

Achraf Hakimi

Undeniably, he was the best player in his position this season. Always as impactful offensively, Hakimi has made significant progress defensively. He is one of the major contributors to PSG's sweep on the national and continental scene. Is it enough to climb onto the Ballon d'Or podium?

Lamine Yamal

Before the Nations League, Yamal seemed to suggest that the race for the Ballon d'Or was between him and Ousmane Dembélé. The Spanish press jumped on this statement to launch the "Yamal Balón de Oro" lobbying. At 18, Yamal can already boast of being a serious candidate for the BO but Barcelona's elimination in the Champions League semi-finals and the lost final in the Nations League position him as an outsider.

Vitinha

For two years, he has been constantly changing dimensions. The real linchpin of the best team of the season, he is more than ever a global reference in his position. Moreover, he also played a significant role in Portugal's success in the Nations League, which only strengthens his position in a possible fight for the Ballon d'Or.

Raphinha

A few months before PSG's C1 coronation, Raphinha was nevertheless cited as the big favorite for the Ballon d'Or. Raphinha had the best season of his career and is now a cornerstone of the Catalan project. Failing to win, he should logically finish on the BO 2025 podium.

Ousmane Dembélé

He is the overwhelming favorite to win this 69th Ballon d'Or! Dembélé has the strongest argument to claim the prize: he has established himself as the best player of the best team in Europe, having won the most prestigious club trophy: the Champions League.

The only downside: the crushing defeat in the Club World Cup final (0-3 against Chelsea). It remains to be seen whether the voters will "penalize" this hiccup (in favor of a Barcelona player?).

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

📸 Luke Hales - 2025 Getty Images