Ballon d’Or 2025: Full List of Nominees from Ousmane Dembélé to Lamine Yamal

Ballon d’Or 2025 Nominees Announced: New Era Without Messi & Ronaldo.

The Ballon d’Or revealed the top 30 male footballers for 2025 on Thursday, August 7. While some inclusions were expected, others have left fans scratching their heads.

For the second consecutive year, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are absent from the list — a clear sign that the torch has passed to a new generation of football stars vying for the sport’s most prestigious individual honour.

Top Contenders
Ousmane Dembélé – PSG’s No. 10 is widely tipped as the frontrunner after a phenomenal season that saw him lead the French giants to a historic treble, including their first-ever Champions League triumph. Dembélé’s tally of 35 goals and 16 assists was central to their dominance, and he also played a key role in the FIFA Club World Cup campaign in the USA, guiding his team to the final.

Raphinha – The Brazilian winger hit peak form last season, playing a pivotal role in Barcelona’s La Liga title win and Champions League semifinal run. His explosive attacking displays yielded 34 goals and 25 assists, making him one of the most feared forwards in Europe.

Lamine Yamal – At just 17, the Spanish prodigy lit up defences with fearless dribbles and blistering pace. Partnering with Raphinha, he was integral to Barcelona’s success, ending the season with 18 goals and 25 assists. His performances suggest he could dominate the global stage for years to come.

Full List of Nominees
Jude Bellingham, Scott McTominay, Ousmane Dembélé, Nuno Mendes, Gianluigi Donnarumma, João Neves, Désiré Doué, Michael Olise, Denzel Dumfries, Cole Palmer, Serhou Guirassy, Pedri, Viktor Gyökeres, Raphinha, Erling Haaland, Declan Rice, Achraf Hakimi, Fabián Ruiz, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Virgil van Dijk, Robert Lewandowski, Vinícius Jr., Alexis Mac Allister, Vitinha, Lautaro Martínez, Florian Wirtz, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal.