Top 10 Ballon d'Or favourites as of June 2025; Dembélé, Yamal, Raphinha & more

The 2024-25 season is over after PSG’s UCL triumph

In a year where football has provided unforgettable stories, unpredictable moments, and figures who have elevated their status with extraordinary performances, the 2025 Ballon d’Or promises to be a high-octane competition. It is no longer just about established names, as new players are bursting onto the scene with authority. They have impressive statistics and major titles in their favour.

While some have had complete campaigns as part of a team, others have displayed their class individually. The balance between statistical impact, titles won, and significance at key moments once again sets the standard for defining the most outstanding player of the year.

With the end of the 2024-25 season, the spotlight is already on Paris, where the most prestigious award in world football will be presented. Some candidates have put their names back in the conversation after years of silence, others have burst onto the scene despite their youth, and some have simply maintained the consistency that keeps them at the top.

The race for the Ballon d’Or is underway, and there are ten names that have separated themselves from the rest on clear merit. From tenth to first place, here are the Ballon d’Or favourites as of June 2025.

10. Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé ranks tenth. His 43 goals and five assists reflect a high-performance season, but the titles did not come as he had hoped. Although he won the European Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup with Real Madrid, the failures in the final stretch — the defeat against Arsenal in the Champions League, the loss in the Copa del Rey, and the loss of LaLiga to Barça — affected his candidacy.

Not even the Frenchman’s hat trick against Manchester City in February, hailed as a monumental display, managed to counteract the negative impact of Real Madrid’s stumbles.

9. Pedri

Pedri sneaks into ninth place. Without spectacular numbers — six goals, nine assists — his football told a different story. Free from injury, the midfielder proved himself to be the heart of Hansi Flick’s new Barcelona. He controlled the tempo, led games, and shone in the decisive stage of the Copa del Rey.

Although elimination in the Champions League semi-finals limited his potential in this competition, the qualitative leap in his game puts him among the best of the season.

8. Désiré Doué

In eighth place is Désiré Doué. The French gem enjoyed a campaign that few would have predicted on his arrival from Rennes. His fifteen goals and sixteen assists were decisive for a PSG side that swept all before them at home and in Europe.

Doué was chosen by Luis Enrique for the most demanding matches, and he responded in spades. Assists in finals, a mature performance despite his age, and a growing prominence allow him to enter this list with justice.

7. Gianluigi Donnarumma

Gianluigi Donnarumma occupies seventh place. Thirteen clean sheets do not tell the whole story. His role in the final stages of the Champions League was fundamental. Saving shots against Liverpool, Villa, and Arsenal kept PSG going when they needed it most.

Although goalkeepers rarely take center stage in this type of award, the Italian managed to become an indispensable figure in PSG’s championship-winning team.

6. Lautaro Martínez

Lautaro Martínez is in sixth place. With 49 goals and 22 assists, he was a statistical monster. His Inter side missed out on the Serie A title by one point, but he carried the team to the Champions League final.

His offensive output was unsustainable for most defences, and although he lacked a major title to be higher in the rankings, his consistency and specific weight keep him a strong candidate.

Also Read: Top 10 players with most Ballon d’Or awards

5. Mohamed Salah

In fifth place is Mohamed Salah. With 36 goals and 24 assists, he led Liverpool to another Premier League title. His contract renewal with the club put an end to any rumours of his departure and allowed him to focus on the sporting side of things. Under Arne Slot, he revived his best form.

However, the early elimination from the Champions League and the Egyptians’ poor performance in the Carabao Cup final hurt his chances. Even so, he still has a chance to become the first African to win the Ballon d’Or since 1995.

4. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is in fourth place. Fourteen goals, eleven assists, and titles in two different countries. He was key for both Napoli and PSG. His ability to take on opponents and his importance in key matches, such as his goal against Aston Villa, set him apart.

The PSG star’s impact was less visible in numbers but more than clear on the pitch. Two domestic titles and a Champions League as a key player put him in the spotlight worldwide.

3. Lamine Yamal

Third place in our list goes to Lamine Yamal. At 17 years old, he has already made his mark with 19 goals and 26 assists. His impact on the game, his decision-making, and his composure under pressure position him as the most special talent of his generation.

The Barcelona star kid was the brightest spark in a Barça side that won all three domestic titles, and his performances against Inter in the Champions League will be remembered for years to come. If he doesn’t win this year, he has three more chances before he turns 21.

2. Raphinha

In second place is Raphinha. UCL 2024-25 top scorer, thirty-four goals, twenty-five assists, and a season in which he led Barcelona to the domestic treble.

The Brazilian was not the favourite on paper; he was even close to being sold, but he ended up as a leader for this team and the star performer. In key matches, the Brazilian was decisive, and this is undoubtedly the best moment of his career.

1. Ousmane Dembélé

But number one on our list is Ousmane Dembélé. No one won more major titles in 2025. With 35 goals and 15 assists, he was the offensive driving force behind a PSG side that won the Champions League, Ligue 1, the French Cup, and the Trophée des Champions.

The Frenchman finally achieved consistency and let loose. On big nights, he delivered. He was there with the goals against Liverpool and Arsenal, assists in the Champions League final, and his leadership. The winger was decisive; he was consistent. Everything that was expected of him since his breakthrough at Dortmund, he finally showed. By trophies, numbers, and impact, Dembélé has the 2025 Ballon d’Or in his hands.

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