The Ballon d Or 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most historic editions of football’s most prestigious individual prize. For the first time in more than a decade, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are absent from the shortlist, signaling the dawn of a new era. With fresh stars dominating European football, the upcoming awards ceremony in Paris promises to reshape the conversation around the world’s best players.
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When is the Ballon d Or 2025 Ceremony?
The Ballon d Or 2025 ceremony will take place on Monday, 22 September 2025. The glamorous event will be hosted at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France, beginning at 6 PM GMT. Known for its rich history and elegance, the theatre has been the traditional home of the Ballon d’Or since 2019.
This year marks the 69th edition of the award, which has been presented annually by France Football since 1956. The Ballon d’Or remains the most prestigious individual accolade in football, honoring outstanding performances, team achievements, and exemplary sporting character.
A Historic Shift: No Messi, No Ronaldo
For the first time in over 15 years, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo is among the Ballon d Or 2025 nominees. Having dominated world football for nearly two decades, their absence highlights a generational shift. This opens the door for new talents to establish themselves as football’s global icons.
With Messi at Inter Miami and Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, attention now firmly turns to rising stars in Europe’s top leagues, giving the award a refreshing competitive edge.
What Awards Will Be Presented at the Ballon d Or 2025?
The Ballon d Or 2025 will recognize football excellence across multiple categories:
- Men’s Ballon d Or 2025
- Women’s Ballon d Or 2025
- Men’s and Women’s Kopa Trophy (best young player)
- Men’s and Women’s Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper)
- Men’s and Women’s Gerd Müller Trophy (top scorer)
- Men’s and Women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy (best coach)
- Men’s and Women’s Club of the Year
- Sócrates Award (for social and humanitarian contributions)
The inclusion of expanded women’s categories reflects the growing recognition of women’s football at the global stage.
Ballon d Or 2025 Nominees
France Football announced the 30 nominees for the Ballon d Or 2025 on August 7, with Paris Saint-Germain leading the pack. The European champions boast nine players on the shortlist—more than any other club—while star winger Ousmane Dembélé is among the frontrunners, facing competition from Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah.
Ballon d’Or 2025 – Men’s Nominees
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid & England)
- Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain & France)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain & Italy)
- Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain & France)
- Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan & Netherlands)
- Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund & Guinea)
- Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP/Arsenal & Sweden)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City & Norway)
- Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain & Morocco)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich & England)
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain & Georgia)
- Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona & Poland)
- Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool & Argentina)
- Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan & Argentina)
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid & France)
- Scott McTominay (Napoli & Scotland)
- Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain & Portugal)
- João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain & Portugal)
- Michael Olise (Bayern Munich & France)
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea & England)
- Pedri (Barcelona & Spain)
- Raphinha (Barcelona & Brazil)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal & England)
- Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain & Spain)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool & Egypt)
- Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool & Netherlands)
- Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid & Brazil)
- Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain & Portugal)
- Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen & Germany)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona & Spain)
Ballon d’Or Féminin 2025 – Women’s Nominees
- Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea & France)
- Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride & Zambia)
- Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona & Spain)
- Lucy Bronze (Chelsea & England)
- Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich & Germany)
- Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal & Spain)
- Sofia Cantore (Juventus & Italy)
- Steph Catley (Arsenal & Australia)
- Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current & Malawi)
- Melchie Dumornay (Lyon & Haiti)
- Emily Fox (Arsenal & USA)
- Cristiana Girelli (Juventus & Italy)
- Esther González (Gotham FC & Spain)
- Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona & Norway)
- Hannah Hampton (Chelsea & England)
- Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich & Denmark)
- Patri Guijarro (Barcelona & Spain)
- Amanda Gutierres (Palmeiras & Brazil)
- Lindsey Heaps (Lyon & USA)
- Chloe Kelly (Arsenal & England)
- Frida Maanum (Arsenal & Norway)
- Marta (Orlando Pride & Brazil)
- Clara Mateo (Paris FC & France)
- Ewa Pajor (Barcelona & Poland)
- Clàudia Pina (Barcelona & Spain)
- Alexia Putellas (Barcelona & Spain)
- Alessia Russo (Arsenal & England)
- Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea & Sweden)
- Caroline Weir (Real Madrid & Scotland)
- Leah Williamson (Arsenal & England)
Kopa Trophy 2025 – Men’s Shortlist
- Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille & France)
- Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona & Spain)
- Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain & France)
- Estêvão (Chelsea & Brazil)
- Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid & Spain)
- Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal & England)
- Rodrigo Mora (FC Porto & Portugal)
- João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain & Portugal)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona & Spain)
- Kenan Yildiz (Juventus & Turkey)
Kopa Trophy 2025 – Women’s Shortlist
- Michelle Agyemang (Arsenal & England)
- Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid & Colombia)
- Wieke Kaptein (Chelsea & Netherlands)
- Vicky López (Barcelona & Spain)
- Claudia Martínez (Olimpia & Paraguay)
Yashin Trophy 2025 – Men’s Shortlist
- Alisson Becker (Liverpool & Brazil)
- Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal & Morocco)
- Lucas Chevalier (Lille & France)
- Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid & Belgium)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain & Italy)
- Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa & Argentina)
- Jan Oblak (Atlético Madrid & Slovakia)
- David Raya (Arsenal & Spain)
- Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest & Belgium)
- Yann Sommer (Inter Milan & Switzerland)
Yashin Trophy 2025 – Women’s Shortlist
- Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC & Germany)
- Cata Coll (Barcelona & Spain)
- Hannah Hampton (Chelsea & England)
- Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton & Nigeria)
- Daphne van Domselaar (Arsenal & Netherlands)
Coach of the Year 2025 – Men’s Shortlist
- Antonio Conte (Napoli)
- Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Hansi Flick (Barcelona)
- Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)
- Arne Slot (Liverpool)
Coach of the Year 2025 – Women’s Shortlist
- Sonia Bompastor (Chelsea)
- Arthur Elias (Brazil)
- Justine Madugu (Nigeria)
- Renée Slegers (Arsenal)
- Sarina Wiegman (England)
Club of the Year 2025 – Men’s Shortlist
- Barcelona (Spain)
- Botafogo (Brazil)
- Chelsea (England)
- Liverpool (England)
- Paris Saint-Germain (France)
Club of the Year 2025 – Women’s Shortlist
Orlando Pride (United States)
Arsenal (England)
Barcelona (Spain)
Chelsea (England)
Olympique Lyonnais Féminin (France)
Voting System for the Ballon d’Or 2025
The Ballon d’Or 2025 will be decided by a panel of journalists selected by France Football. In the men’s category, 100 journalists representing the top FIFA-ranked nations cast their votes. Each journalist selects their top 10 players, awarding points on a scale from 15 to 1. The player with the highest cumulative score wins.
For the women’s Ballon d’Or, 50 journalists from the top-ranked FIFA nations take part in voting, ensuring fairness and global representation.
Journalists are instructed to consider three factors:
- Individual performances and decisive impact
- Team achievements and titles won
- Fair play, leadership, and overall class on and off the pitch
Previous Winners
Rodri of Manchester City and Aitana Bonmatí of Barcelona were the winners of the Ballon d’Or in 2024. While Bonmatí is chasing a third consecutive crown, Rodri faces tough competition from rising stars and established performers alike.
The award’s history includes legendary names such as Alfredo Di Stéfano, Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo. The women’s award, introduced in 2018, has been dominated by the likes of Ada Hegerberg, Megan Rapinoe, and Alexia Putellas.
Why the Ballon d’Or 2025 Matters
The Ballon d’Or 2025 is more than just an award—it is a reflection of football’s changing landscape. The absence of Messi and Ronaldo underscores a generational transition, while the dominance of clubs like PSG, Barcelona, and Real Madrid demonstrates the ongoing battle for European supremacy.
With new stars ready to etch their names into history, the 2025 edition may well mark the beginning of a new football dynasty.
FAQs Ballon d Or 2025
When is the Ballon d’Or 2025 ceremony?
The ceremony will be held on Monday, 22 September 2025, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Who are the main favorites for the Ballon d’Or 2025?
Leading contenders include Mohamed Salah, Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Lamine Yamal, and Jude Bellingham.
How are the Ballon d Or winners chosen?
Winners are decided by a voting panel of journalists based on individual performance, team success, and fair play.
Will Messi and Ronaldo feature at Ballon d’Or 2025?
No, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo has been nominated this year, marking a historic shift.
Which awards will be presented at Ballon d’Or 2025?
Alongside the Ballon d’Or for men and women, trophies such as the Kopa, Yashin, Gerd Müller, Johan Cruyff, and Sócrates Awards will also be presented.
