The best candidates for the 2025 Ballon d’Or
The Ballon d’Or has become the top individual trophy for footballers, as it is given to the best player of that year. Lionel Messi is often considered the best-ever football player, proven by his record eight Ballon d’Or wins.
The football world has plenty of top-tier players competing for the award this 2025. The post-Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era of the Ballon d’Or has led to more players competing for the Golden Ball.
Here are the current top choices for the 2025 Ballon d’Or:
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The Premier League is often considered the world’s best domestic football league. Since Liverpool is the runaway favourite to win the Prem, it is expected that their biggest star is a Ballon d’Or candidate. Mohamed Salah has been with LFC since 2017, making him the club’s superstar for a long time, and he could get recognition for his efforts.
Across all competitions for Liverpool, Salah has 32 goals and 23 assists as of April 15, 2025. His performance has been impressive due to his goal contributions being the primary reason Liverpool is en route to winning another Premier League title. However, what hurts his candidacy is Liverpool’s absence from the cup competitions.
Raphinha (Barcelona)
Raphinha has been superb for Barcelona this season, as he has fully moved to the left-wing position. Manager Hansi Flick put him there to maximise his front three, consisting of Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski. It has worked well, considering Barça has made it far in the Champions League and is in La Liga’s title race.
Across all competitions for Barça, Raphinha has 28 goals and 22 assists as of April 15, 2025. The Brazilian has surpassed expectations due to his impressive stats, as he has elevated his game from being the talisman for Leeds United to becoming the best player on a European giant.
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
Regarded as one of the best players in the world when he was with Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappé showed the same competence in Real Madrid. He has been hailed by former Real Madrid president Ramón Calderón as the player to follow in the legendary footsteps of Ronaldo Nazário.
Since he was converted to a striker, Mbappé has become a pure goalscorer. He has dished out four assists as of April 15, 2025, but he has 32 goals already. With Real Madrid’s potential success in La Liga, the Frenchman’s status as the best player could win him the award.
The Ballon d’Or is a prestigious award, and all the best candidates are worthy of winning it. It will be a toss-up between three superstars, but there is still a lot of football to be played.
