Context:

The Ballon d'Or, a prestigious award in global football, recognizes the best player of the season and is awarded by France Football in the fall. The 2025 contest is particularly open due to the early-season ACL tear of last year's winner, Rodri. Top contenders include Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr., with players like Mohamed Salah and Ousmane Dembele emerging as strong candidates. Dembele's performance, particularly in the Champions League, has placed him in a strong position, while Raphinha's contributions for Barcelona have also been significant. However, Raphinha's form in international matches and Barcelona's European exit may hinder his chances, leaving the race wide open for others like Dembele who are still competing in Europe.

Dive Deeper:

• The Ballon d'Or is awarded by France Football for the best football player of the previous season and involves a gala organized with UEFA to crown both male and female players.

• Rodri's controversial win in 2024 and subsequent injury has opened up the 2025 contest, with former close contenders like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham now facing new challengers for the award.

• Michael Olise has stood out at Bayern Munich, leading the Bundesliga in assists and proving to be a consistent performer both domestically and internationally.

• Despite a slow start, Kylian Mbappe has become the leading figure at Real Madrid, though their disappointing Champions League exit has likely ended his Ballon d'Or contention.

• Ousmane Dembele's impressive performances in Ligue 1 and crucial Champions League matches have put him in the spotlight as a top contender, especially after PSG's elimination of Liverpool, a previous favorite.

• Raphinha has been a key player for Barcelona, contributing significantly in both La Liga and the Champions League, but Barcelona's semifinal exit and his lackluster international performance may impact his chances.

• Mohamed Salah was initially leading the Ballon d'Or race, but Liverpool's Champions League exit and his lack of international opportunities during the summer have weakened his position.

• As the most prestigious individual award in global football, the Ballon d'Or dominates the annual conversation throughout each season.

• Handed out by France Football in the fall for the previous season from August to July, the Ballon d'Or is given to the best football player from around the globe across the campaign. A gala is held each year — with UEFA now involved in the organising — to crown the best male and female players and give out several other accolades.

• Rodri's win in 2024 was controversial, but his ACL tear early this season has left the 2025 contest wide open. Players who finished just behind the Manchester City star, such as Real Madrid trio Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr., were thought to be top contenders for the conversation once again, but other challengers have emerged.

• While performance in the top European leagues will get players towards the top of the list, the UEFA Champions League is where most eventual winners stake their claims.

• The Sporting News will update this page throughout 2025 as the candidates to win the award stake their claims.

• MORE: All the latest EPL club news | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings | Champions League top goal scorers

• Ballon d'Or rankings 2025: Potential winners, top candidates

  Here are the top 10 players in contention for the Ballon d'Or, ranked by how The Sporting News would hand out the award if the season ended today.

• Rankings, stats, and assessments as of Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

• 10) Michael Olise (RW, Bayern Munich)

  Somehow, Michael Olise flew entirely under the radar this season, but as one of the most consistent performers across the entire campaign for Bayern Munich both domestically and abroad, he deserves to be on the fringes of the list, pipping the likes of Florian Wirtz who faded late.

• Olise was sensational, not just in front of net himself with big goals against Celtic in the Champions League and Wolfsburg in the league, but also from a creative perspective. His 13 Bundesliga assists led the German top flight, three more than anyone else, and was worth nearly 1.0 xG+xA per 90 minutes in the league.

• While Bayern Munich needed more from the likes of Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane, who struggled with fitness across the season, Olise played nearly 2,200 minutes in just Bundesliga play, and eclipsed 3,300 across all competitions. A reliable source of production.

• Michael Olise stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  Bundesliga	32	10	13
  Champions League	14	5	2
  DFB-Pokal	2	0	1
  TOTAL	48	15	16

  9) Jude Bellingham (MF, Real Madrid)

  While the Real Madrid superstar does not have the flashy goals and assists tallies he collected in his first season in Spain, he's been just as important in the club's push for trophies on multiple fronts.

• With the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, Bellingham has been shifted away from his glutton of attacking responsibilities into a more traditional 8/10 hybrid midfield role, and as expected he's excelled. Bellingham ranks in the top five percentile of European midfielders in multiple passing categories, successful take-ons, progressive passes received, carries, and tackles, indicating his wide range of capabilities makes him an invaluable player.

• His downturn in attacking production probably means he won't win the Ballon d'Or, because at the end of the day goals reign king, but even so, 11 and 11 is a wonderful haul given all the other things Bellingham excels at. There's no debate — Jude Bellingham is the best midfielder in the world.

• Despite that, a trophy-less season with Real Madrid would be an undeniable disappointment in his sophomore campaign with the club, and Bellingham receiving multiple red cards for loose emotional outbursts is also a difficult look.

• Jude Bellingham stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  La Liga	28	8	9
  Champions League	13	3	3
  Copa del Rey	4	1	1
  Supercopa de Espana	2	1	0
  UEFA Super Cup	1	0	1
  TOTAL	48	13	14

  8) Julian Alvarez (FW, Atletico Madrid)

  Julian Alvarez's first season at Atletico Madrid has not only put Diego Simeone's side in position to contend for multiple trophies, but it's also made Man City brass suffer immense regret in their decision to sell last summer.

• The 25-year-old has been a perfect fit at Atletico, scoring 22 goals and assisting five more across all competitions even with the occasionally drab system he plays in. Alvarez has taken time to adjust to La Liga play, leading to some domestic inconsistencies, but he was exceptional in the Champions League, scoring seven goals in nine games.

• Not only does Alvarez put the ball in the net at a high rate, but he's also an exceptional passer, and contributes heavily on the defensive end as well. A high work-rate player, Alvarez is very deserving of a place on this list, even if he hasn't reached the level to truly compete for the award.

• The nature of his penalty mishap in the shootout defeat to Real Madrid was just plain cruel, but regardless of how it happened, their early Champions League exit will end any chance he has of competing for this award. Similarly, their failure to challenge for the La Liga title and subsequent exit from the Copa del Rey semifinals at Barcelona's hand has left Atleti with nothing left to play for, rendering Alvarez a bit of forgotten man.

• Julian Alvarez stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  La Liga	34	15	2
  Champions League	10	7	1
  Copa del Rey	7	5	2
  TOTAL	51	27	5

  MORE: Why the Ballon d'Or matters so much to players

• 7) Robert Lewandowski (CF, Barcelona)

  At the end of the 2023/24 campaign, it appeared that at 35 years old, Robert Lewandowski was cooked. Nineteen goals and eight assists in La Liga was nothing to scoff at, but it's not what Lewandowski was used to.

• The Poland international saw his shots per 90 absolutely plummet from 4.25 in 2022/23 to 2.98 that season. He was simply not able to get himself in dangerous positions as often, and struggled to finish big chances with regularity when he did.

• MORE: Robert Lewandowski back atop La Liga goal scoring chart for 2024/25 season

• Fast forward to March 2025, and reports of Lewandowski's demise have been greatly exaggerated. His shot totals have returned to near his old volume, and he's finishing at a very strong rate. While some of this can be chalked up to Hansi Flick's attacking style of play, Lewandowski's ability to contribute in such a system cannot be denied.

• Even with a cold spell through late 2024, Lewandowski has already soared past his goals tally from last season, and he remains a force not only in La Liga but in Europe as well. He's having quite the redemption campaign, and has to be considered amongst the Ballon d'Or contenders, even if it's tough for a true No. 9 to win the award over those with more creative abilities to complement their finishing.

• Sadly, a hamstring injury at the worst possible time, with big games on the horizon, could end his chase for more attention in the Ballon d'Or chase.

• Robert Lewandowski stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  La Liga	31	25	2
  Champions League	13	11	0
  Copa del Rey	3	3	0
  Supercopa de Espana	2	1	1
  TOTAL	49	40	3

  6) Harry Kane (CF, Bayern Munich)

  Now 31 years old and still in search of his first career major trophy, Harry Kane has been sensational in his second season at Bayern Munich.

• Kane is the ideal No. 9 for any coach, able to do a myriad of things at the head of the attack. He can score goals, obviously, with 21 in 23 league games plus another nine in Europe, but his hold-up play, counter-attack prowess, and penalty venom make Kane a versatile and dangerous striker.

• While his pressing abilities are lacking, the presence of energetic wingers and midfielders at Bayern mask that lone hole in his skill set. Kane and Lewandowski have both scored 30 goals across domestic league and Champions League play, but Kane has done so with just 24.37 xG compared to the 30.26 xG of Lewandowski, indicating he's profited the same from lower-value chances. Add in Kane's nine assists to just two for Lewy, and you get a clear pecking order.

• The biggest problem now for Bayern Munich is their early exit from the Champions League at the hands of Inter Milan, leaving Kane out of Europe while Lewandowski remains. It feels likely that his statistical advantage could fade to the European narrative if Barcelona finish the season strong.

• Harry Kane stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  Bundesliga	29	24	9
  Champions League	13	11	2
  DFB-Pokal	2	1	1
  TOTAL	44	36	12

  5) Kylian Mbappe (FW, Real Madrid)

  Kylian Mbappe's first season at Real Madrid started slow, but even then the noise was blown out of proportion. Since the early sputters, Mbappe has exploded to life, overtaking the other Blancos stars as the undisputed leader of a Galactico-laden squad.

• Given how much attention Mbappe's lack of production through the first two to three months of 2024/25 garnered, it's a minor miracle that he now stands at 28 goals and four assists for the season. While his creativity has dipped considerably, that is to be expected given he has taken over the central striker role at his new club.

• It is easy to understand why Mbappe struggled early on — he naturally wanted to occupy places his teammates (namely, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo) were already in, and thus they clashed. It seems Mbappe and his fellow Madrid forwards have begun to combine better, although there's still plenty more to work on, as evident by their disappointing Champions League quarterfinal exit which likely leaves Mbappe out of true Ballon d'Or contention.

• Mbappe has 11 La Liga goals since the start of December, and six of his seven Champions League goals have come in that span as well. However, the occasional glaring miss continues to haunt the France superstar, and he will have to recover from yet another European disappointment. With it almost certain that Real Madrid will end this season trophyless, Mbappe's chase for the Ballon d'Or is all but cooked, and the club's failure to win anything tangible this season seems likely to be the end of Carlo Ancelotti's legendary tenure in the Spanish capital.

• Kylian Mbappe stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  La Liga	30	24	3
  Champions League	14	7	1
  Copa del Rey	4	2	0
  Supercopa de Espana	2	1	0
  UEFA Super Cup	1	1	0
  TOTAL	51	35	4

  4) Lamine Yamal (FW, Barcelona)

  After winning the 2023/24 Kopa Trophy as the world's best young player, Lamine Yamal has taken a remarkable leap in 2024/25. While the middle of the season saw a bit of a statistical slump, he continues to dazzle viewers and has made up for the midseason lull with an explosive bookend.

• Still remarkably just 17 years old, the youngster opened the year by scoring five goals and assisting seven more in his first 12 La Liga matches, and had two goal contributions in Barcelona's first three Champions League game as well. He has three goal contributions in the club's four UCL knockout games, and scored a key goal in a thrilling league win over Atletico Madrid.

• Despite the slow start, Lamine Yamal has shot up the rankings with a superb second half of the season. His confidence is outlandish, and even when he doesn't score or assist goals he seems to dazzle in some exceptional way.

• You can consider the Barcelona star a shoo-in not just the next few Kopa Trophies, but he's destined for more than just that. His second-half surge surely falls just short with Barcelona eliminated in the semifinals, but the youngster has done more than enough to remain a figure in the minds of viewers as not just a future star but a present-day contender for this prestigious award.

• Lamine Yamal stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  La Liga	31	6	14
  Champions League	13	5	4
  Copa del Rey	5	2	6
  Supercopa de Espana	2	2	0
  TOTAL	51	15	24

  3) Mohamed Salah (RW, Liverpool)

  For much of the season it seemed that nobody was close to Mohamed Salah in the Ballon d'Or race...and then Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League in the Round of 16.

• Not only that, but Salah was invisible across both legs against PSG, both in Paris and at Anfield, as he was pocketed by Nuno Mendes throughout the 180 minutes.

• Salah has undoubtedly had an unbelievable, world-class season. The Egypt international has an outlandish 56 goal contributions this season, split across 33 goals and 23 assists. His best goal-scoring work has been done in the Premier League, where he has 27 goals in 29 matches, including braces against Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United plus big goals against Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United twice.

• Yet there's two problems with Salah's candidacy as it now stands. First, he was too quiet in the Champions League, which matters most. European play draws the most eyeballs and tends to sway voters heavily, as it should as the top competition on the continent.

• Second, he won't have any big international or club opportunities during the summer to add to his resume. African international football is pausing through the late summer months, and Liverpool are not participating in the 2025 Club World Cup. This means other players could use international competition to make a late play for the award, and Salah will have to lean on his club accomplishments and hope nobody else plays hero on an international level.

• Given that, the Champions League flop hurts him even more than it normally would have. At this point, it feels like his Ballon d'Or candidacy is on life support, especially as he fades through the end of the season with Liverpool lacking any competitive stakes down the stretch.

• Mohamed Salah stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  Premier League	34	28	18
  Champions League	9	3	4
  FA Cup	0	0	0
  EFL Cup	5	2	1
  TOTAL	48	33	23

  2) Ousmane Dembele (FW, Paris Saint-Germain)

  For much of the season, Ousmane Dembele was quietly putting together one of the most under-the-radar performances across all of Europe. That was, until PSG eliminated Liverpool and previous favourite Mohamed Salah, at which point the world began to notice the 27-year-old France international's explosion.

• Say what you will about the competition level of Ligue 1, where Dembele has scored 21 goals and assisted eight others (including a run of 16 goals in 11 games between mid-December and mid-March), but the France star has played at a superstar level in the Champions League as well.

• While he (and the rest of PSG) struggled through the first half of the league phase, Dembele exploded as the calendar turned to 2025, scoring six goals across the final two league phase games plus the first knockout playoff match. Dembele finished the 90 minutes at home against Liverpool without profit, but he was the best player on the pitch, and only PSG's utter catastrophe in front of goal kept him from contributing in any tangible way.

• The way Dembele has produced world-class numbers even while other PSG star forwards also impress is truly remarkable. If PSG had gone out of Europe in the Round of 16, it would have completely destroyed Dembele's chances of winning this award, as a strong campaign in Ligue 1 is never enough in its current state. Yet now that they've knocked off Liverpool and reached the semifinals, the world is watching.

• With Raphinha and Barcelona now out of the Champions League after their unexpected heartbreak against Inter, Dembele is in the driver's seat for this award. At this point, he probably needs to reach the game in Munich to pip Raphinha, but if PSG advance past Arsenal, it's all there in front of him.

• Ousmane Dembele stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  Ligue 1	28	21	8
  Champions League	13	8	3
  Coupe de France	3	3	1
  Trophee des Champions	1	1	0
  TOTAL	45	33	12

  1) Raphinha (FW, Barcelona)

  Alongside Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha has been probably the most unheralded performer in global football this season. Even on his own team, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal seem to hog the spotlight ahead of Raphinha. Regardless, nobody in the world has a higher potential ceiling than the Brazilian.

• Raphinha has been a consistent, heavily productive player since joining Barcelona, but he's found a new gear under Hansi Flick. While his 13 goals and nine assists in La Liga play have been vital to help Barcelona top a crowded title race, it's been his nine goals and four assists in the Champions League which headline his Ballon d'Or resume.

• MORE: Thierry Henry says Raphinha leads Ballon d'Or race

• A hat-trick against Bayern Munich is the flashiest of the lot, but he also had three goals in two games against Benfica, including the critical winner in the first leg of their Round of 16 matchup, plus another goal against Borussia Dortmund and two assists against Atalanta in the league phase. Put all that together, and Raphinha gains a boost from being a big game player.

• While Mo Salah has racked up an insane assist total (21 compared to Raphinha's 11) alongside his glutton of goals, it's actually Raphinha who has tallied more chances created and expected assists (xA) than Salah, indicating that the exquisite finishing of Liverpool's other attackers have played a role in that disparity. Do not discount how vital Raphinha is to Barcelona, who are in realistic contention for a famous treble.

• With Salah's Liverpool crashing out of the Champions League on the same day Raphinha skewered Benfica, it feels that he is one half of a two-horse race with Dembele for the trophy. He had scored in five consecutive UCL games coming into the first leg of Barcelona's semifinal with Inter Milan, and while a technicality ended that streak, he made sure to provide an all-important third goal in the second leg at the San Siro. That May 6 goal brought Raphinha level with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most goal involvements in a single Champions League competition, his 21st contribution.

• Unfortunately, European heartbreak hurts his chances considerably, opening the door for others like Dembele who are still alive. In addition, he went invisible in Brazil's embarrassing 4-1 qualifying defeat to Argentina which did not help his cause, and he now may need to put the national team on his back this summer in World Cup qualifying to finalise his case.

• Raphinha stats 2024/25

• Competition	Games	Goals	Assists
  La Liga	32	16	11
  Champions League	14	13	9
  Copa del Rey	5	1	4
  Supercopa de Espana	2	2	1
  TOTAL	52	32	25

  Honorable Mention:

  Selecting just 10 players to consider for the Ballon d'Or leaves out a number of deserving individuals who may not have a realistic shot at claiming the award but still deserve mention for their outstanding campaigns.

• As one of last year's top contenders for this award — so much so that Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony to protest his second-place finish — it's shocking to see Vinicius Jr. not even amongst the Top 10. While the Brazilian remains one of the top players in the world, he has well short of last season's heroics, capped by his poor showing against Arsenal in their Champions League quarterfinal exit. Real Madrid face the prospect of a trophy-less season, which would leave him well out of contention.

• Another attacker who fell just short of the list is Florian Wirtz, who was sensational through about March before an injury and Bayer Leverkusen's subsequent elimination on both fronts saw him fade late on. If it is his last season at the Bundesliga club, with big clubs around Europe swirling, he has earned a big-money step up. Serhou Guirassy of Borussia Dortmund continues to pour on goals, but BVB's putrid league standing means he'll remain on the periphery of this conversation unless they spring a few big upsets in Europe.

• MORE: Who's won most Ballon d'Or awards? | How the voting works | What's the Super Ballon d'Or?

• Ademola Lookman and Jamal Musiala have also been amazing, but Atalanta's exit from the Champions League is likely to end Lookman's run at the award, and Musiala suffered a torn hamstring in early April that left him unable to finish the season's story.

• Understandably, it is very difficult for defenders and midfielders to enter the upper echelon of this list, and The Sporting News does not currently have any ranked. Yet a nod must be given to Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool who has enjoyed an absolutely outstanding campaign at the back for the Reds, even as Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League thanks to a lack of attacking flair.

• Another defensive player who has been exceptional is Gabriel of Arsenal, having proven himself not only a defensive wizard but also a strong threat in the air on set pieces in the attacking third. However, like Musiala, his season-ending injury has closed the book.

• In midfield, Rodri's injury has opened the door for others to be involved in the conversation. Creative midfielders like Dominik Szoboszlai and Bruno Fernandes have had exceptional seasons, while the defensive midfield player pool has few individuals deserving of mention. Federico Valverde also deserves mention for his incredible season at multiple positions, but his performances have largely gone unheralded from a global perspective.