Ballon d’Or 2025: Can Dembélé Outshine Yamal As Bonmatí Chases Historic Treble?

‎The football world turns its attention to Paris this Monday as the Ballon d’Or 2025 ceremony takes center stage at the historic Théâtre du Châtelet.

‎The prestigious award, long known for the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, is once again up for grabs.

‎This year, the spotlight shines brightest on Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, and Aitana Bonmati, who is chasing an unprecedented third consecutive women’s crown.

‎The End of an Era, The Rise of New Contenders

‎Between 2008 and 2023, Messi and Ronaldo carved their names into Ballon d’Or history, winning the award 13 times combined. That era came to a close last year when Manchester City midfielder Rodri lifted the trophy after leading Spain to Euro 2024 glory.

‎However, injuries derailed Rodri’s most recent season, ruling him out of contention to defend his title.

‎This has opened the door for a new face at the center of football’s most celebrated individual award.

‎Dembele: From Frustrating Talent to PSG’s Leading Man

‎For years, Ousmane Dembele was a player many felt never fully realized his potential flashes of brilliance tempered by injuries and inconsistency. But in the 2024/25 season, he delivered a career-defining campaign.

‎But Dembele stands out after a magnificent season in which he filled the void left in Paris by the departed Kylian Mbappe, scoring 35 goals.

‎That contribution helped PSG complete a domestic clean sweep and reach the final of the Club World Cup.

‎It was a spectacular campaign for the French club and an even more extraordinary for Dembele, the 28-year-old winger-turned-center-forward. His previous peak had been 14 goals for Barcelona in 2018/19.

‎”It is nice after what was a wonderful season with PSG,” Dembele told Le Monde when asked what it meant to be a leading contender for the prize.

‎”I think it’s true that I am one of the favorites, but we will see what happens,” he said of a gong he has described as “the individual Holy Grail”.

‎Yamal: The Teenage Ready to Challenge

‎While Dembele stands as the favorite, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal has already made himself impossible to ignore. See as Messi’s heir at Barcelona, Yamal combines breathtaking dribbling with an eye for goal that belies his age.

‎He won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 at last year’s Ballon d’Or gala, fresh from having helped Spain to European Championship glory.

‎He scored 18 goals in 55 games in all competitions last season as Barcelona won La Liga and the Spanish Copa del Rey, but they lost in the Champions League semi-finals to Inter.

‎”I don’t dream of winning one Ballon d’Or, I dream of winning lots,” Yamal said in a recent interview with Spanish journalist Jose Ramon de la Morena.

‎The Women’s Ballon d’Or: Can Bonmati Make History?

‎On the women’s side, Aitana Bonmati is in pursuit of a third consecutive Ballon d’Or, which would cement her status among the all-time greats. The Barcelona and Spain midfielder, already considered one of the most technically gifted players in the game, had another strong season.

‎Bonmati is a standout talent and was named the tournament’s best player at the UEFA Women’s Euro in July.

‎Spain, however, fell in the final on penalties to England, and Bonmati’s Barcelona also missed out on the Champions League title after losing to Arsenal in May.

‎What could work in her favor, or for teammate and two-time former winner Alexia Putellas, is that there isn’t an obvious standout from the England side that lifted the Euros.

‎From that England squad, Lucy Bronze, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, Alessia Russo, and captain Leah Williamson are all in contention, as is Chloe Kelly, who converted the decisive penalty in the final.

‎How The Voting System Works And Other Nominees

‎The Ballon d’Or now honors achievements from the most recent season, rather than a calendar year as before.

‎Other notable nominees include Viktor Gyökeres, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, and Liverpool’s key pair from the 2024-2025 Premier League title race, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

‎Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior are also on the shortlist, coming a year after Real Madrid protested the ceremony, upset that Vinícius had been overlooked for the prize.

‎Ballon d’Or voting is conducted by a panel of journalists, with one representative from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA world rankings.