The curtain has risen, the spotlight is on: the official list of the 30 nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or has just been revealed. This edition boasts a spectacular lineup, a mix of seasoned stars and rising gems… but also a list of glaring omissions that will spark debate for weeks.
As always, the Ballon d’Or divides opinion, fuels heated arguments, and leaves a bitter taste for some.
Let’s break it down – club by club, player by player – with bold takes and zero sugarcoating.
🔴 THE NOMINEES: Our Verdict, No Holding Back
🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappé (PSG)
💬 Always there, always a favorite. Even without a Champions League trophy, he remains one of the few players who can singlehandedly change a game. But media fatigue is growing. 2025 may be his last real shot at the Ballon d’Or.
🇲🇦 Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
💬 Solid and consistent, but not always dominant. His inclusion is justifiable, but not unquestionable.
🇫🇷 Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)
💬 Incredible talent, questionable efficiency. Feels more like a product of PSG lobbying than on-field merit.
🇵🇹 Nuno Mendes (PSG)
💬 High potential, strong season, but lacking a major trophy. A surprise, but not shocking.
🇪🇸 Fabián Ruiz (PSG)
💬 Unexpected, but earned. A fantastic year with PSG and Spain, though he still flies under the radar.
🇮🇹 Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG)
💬 Not Europe’s best goalkeeper this year. His inclusion is debatable. Yann Sommer deserved this spot more.
🇫🇷 Michael Olise (PSG)
💬 The true surprise package. Brilliant but inconsistent. A promising pick, but he’ll need to prove himself further.
🇵🇹 Vitinha (PSG)
💬 Outstanding in 2025 and central to PSG’s midfield. Well-deserved, but still not among the elite just yet.
🇫🇷 Désiré Doué (PSG)
💬 The future? Absolutely. The present? Not yet. Far too early for a Ballon d’Or nomination. Harsh on those left out.
🇧🇷 Vinícius Jr (Real Madrid)
💬 Possibly the top contender alongside Bellingham. Shone in the Champions League. If not now, when?
🏴 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
💬 Leader, goal scorer, engine of Real Madrid. If he wins the Ballon d’Or, few will complain.
🇪🇸 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
💬 Just 17 years old and already among the elite. Incredible talent and Euro 2024 hero. A historic, symbolic nomination.
🇳🇴 Erling Haaland (Man City)
💬 Still a goal machine, but not as dominant as last year. A top 5 name, but the “robot” aura is fading.
🏴 Harry Kane (Bayern)
💬 60 goals in a season. Incredible. But again, no major trophies. His curse continues.
🇬🇪 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)
💬 Napoli declined, but Khvicha remains a gem. A justified nomination, though his impact has waned.
🇵🇱 Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
💬 Age is catching up. Solid season, but below Ballon d’Or standards. Inclusion is questionable.
🇦🇷 Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
💬 Quietly brilliant. Crucial in Liverpool’s resurgence. A deserved nod.
🇦🇷 Lautaro Martínez (Inter)
💬 Reliable goal scorer. A consistent presence in these lists now.
🏴 Scott McTominay (Man Utd)
💬 We like him, sure. But a Ballon d’Or nominee? Feels more like a statistical fluke.
🇵🇹 João Neves (Benfica)
💬 A real surprise. A modern defensive midfielder. Europe’s watching, and this nomination puts him under the spotlight.
🇪🇸 Pedri (Barcelona)
💬 Injured for much of the season. Talented, yes. But this nomination feels more political than earned.
🏴 Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
💬 Outstanding despite Chelsea’s chaos. One of England’s top form players.
🇧🇷 Raphinha (Barcelona)
💬 His presence is debatable. If he made it, Saka or Barcola definitely deserved to be here.
🏴 Declan Rice (Arsenal)
💬 One of the best midfielders in Europe this season. 100% deserved.
🇬🇳 Serhou Guirassy (Stuttgart)
💬 Incredible story, insane stats. The fairytale of the year. Well earned.
🇳🇱 Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool)
💬 Back to his best. The Dutch rock earns his spot.
🇩🇪 Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen)
💬 Outstanding year with Leverkusen. If he keeps this up, he’ll be a Ballon d’Or regular.
🇳🇱 Denzel Dumfries (Inter)
💬 Not flashy, but effective. A good year all around.
❌🚨 THE MAJOR SNUBS FOR THE 2025 BALLON D’OR! 🥶
🇫🇷 Jules Koundé (Barcelona)
💬 A defensive rock. His absence is harder to justify than some inclusions on the list.
🏴 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
💬 Phenomenal season with Arsenal. Way more impactful than Palmer, Dembélé or Raphinha. One of the biggest snubs.
🇫🇷 William Saliba (Arsenal)
💬 The backbone of Arsenal’s defense. Deserved a place among the 30.
🇧🇷 Gabriel (Arsenal)
💬 Reliable, consistent, underappreciated. Too overlooked.
🇫🇷 Bradley Barcola (PSG)
💬 Key player in PSG’s UCL run. Omitted in favor of Doué or Dembélé? Not fair.
🇪🇨 Willian Pacho (Frankfurt)
💬 Huge for Ecuador and solid in the Bundesliga. Another defender neglected by the system.
🇧🇷 Marquinhos (PSG)
💬 Not his best year, but still a PSG pillar. PSG has 9 players nominated — and he’s not one? Strange.
🇺🇾 Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)
💬 The engine of Madrid. His omission is scandalous, full stop.
🇨🇭 Yann Sommer (Inter)
💬 Arguably the best goalkeeper this season. Ignored for Donnarumma? Unjust.
🇫🇷 Marcus Thuram (Inter)
💬 Scored, assisted, reached UCL final. Not nominated? Outrageous.
🇮🇹 Federico Dimarco (Inter)
💬 Most decisive full-back in Europe. Totally ignored. Serie A disrespected again.
🇮🇹 Alessandro Bastoni (Inter)
💬 Top-class center-back this season. No explanation for his omission.
🇮🇹 Nicolo Barella (Inter)
💬 Inter’s heartbeat. Deserved way more recognition.
🇦🇷 Julián Álvarez (Man City)
💬 Versatile, decisive, intelligent. But always in Haaland’s shadow.
🇳🇱 Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)
💬 Major progress this year. Not quite Ballon d’Or level yet — but definitely one to watch.
🧠 Final Thoughts: A List More Media-Driven Than Merit-Based?
The 2025 list dazzles — but also raises questions. PSG is clearly overrepresented, some iconic names are missing, and a few picks feel like PR moves more than earned honors.
➡️ Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappé, and Wirtz stand out as favorites.
❌ But snubbing Valverde, Saka, Dimarco, or Sommer feels like denying the obvious.
🎤 What do YOU think? Who truly deserves the Ballon d’Or? Shocked by any omissions? Let us know in the comments!
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