Ballon d’Or 2025: Lamine Yamal, Debele, Bellingham make list [See full nominees]

The 30-man shortlist for the 2025 Ballon d’Or has been officially announced, setting the stage for football’s biggest individual prize.

The ceremony is slated to take place on September 22, 2025, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

This year’s nominees reflect the dominance of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), with the French giants boasting the highest number of players on the list after an outstanding campaign that saw them sweep the Ligue 1 title, French Cup, and UEFA Champions League.

A major talking point from the shortlist is 17-year-old Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, who makes history as the youngest player ever to be nominated for the award.

His inclusion follows a breakthrough season in La Liga and on the European stage.

Among the top contenders are Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, who dazzled throughout the Champions League; Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who continues to break goal records; Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah; and Kylian Mbappé, now at Real Madrid, fresh off a successful stint with PSG.

Here is the complete list of the 2025 Ballon d’Or nominees (Men’s category):

1. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

2. Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain)

3. Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain)

4. Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain)

5. Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan)

6. Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)

7. Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP / Arsenal)

8. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

9. Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain)

10. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

11. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain)

12. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

13. Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)

14. Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan)

15. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)

16. Scott McTominay (Napoli)

17. Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain)

18. João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)

19. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

20. Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

21. Pedri (Barcelona)

22. Raphinha (Barcelona)

23. Declan Rice (Arsenal)

24. Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain)

25. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

26. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

27. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)

28. Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)

29. Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen / Bayern Munich)

30. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)