By PSG’s Ousmane Dembele is the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or in Paris, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal provides main competition, while Mohamed Salah is the Premier League’s best hope
Paris Saint Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is the clear bookmakers’ favourite to win His first Ballon d’Or when the ceremony takes place on Monday night, although the Champions League winner won’t be there to pick up the prize if He is successful.
The 28 year old provided 43 goal contributions in 44 Ligue 1 and Champions League games last season, as PSG won both competitions as part of a historic treble that also included the Coupe de France.
However, Dembele will be on duty for PSG in their Ligue 1 game with Marseille on Monday night, after the fixture was pushed back from Sunday due to heavy rain and thunderstorms in the south of France.
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe, who is also nominated for the award has backed His France international team mate to win the prize in Paris, “If it were up to Me, I’d deliver it to His house.”
Here are the 2025 Ballon d’Or nominees
Barcelona’s teenage superstar Lamine Yamal is Dembele’s closest competition, according to bookmakers, the 18 year old was instrumental in His side’s domestic double, notching 18 goals and 25 assists across all competitions, as Barca won LaLiga and the Copa del Rey.
The Spain Euro 2024 winner represents Barca’s best chance at lifting the award for a record 13th time, although team mate Raphinha is also nominated.
Raphinha and Lamine Yamal
Treble winners PSG provide the bulk of the 30 nominees, with nine of Luis Enrique’s all conquering side on the shortlist, including Portugal’s Nations League winning trio of Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves.
The Premier League’s best challenge for this year’s award comes from Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian forward, who won the PFA Men’s player of the year prize, was last season’s top Premier League scorer with 29 goals, and He also provided the most assists (18) to help Liverpool win the title.
Last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Rodri was not nominated as the Manchester City midfielder missed most of last season, recovering from a knee injury.
There are five British nominees up for the top prize this year, with England’s Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane joined by Scotland’s Scott McTominay on the shortlist.
McTominay was named Serie A player of the year last season
Napoli midfielder McTominay is the first Scot to be nominated since Ally McCoist in 1987 and would become the second to win the award after Denis Law in 1964.
The 28 year old was named the best player in Serie A last season as He helped Napoli to win the title, He scored 12 goals and six assists in His debut campaign at the club following a £25.2m move from Manchester United.
