The 2025 Ballon d’Or nominees have been officially unveiled, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) dominate the 30-man shortlist with nine players, reflecting their commanding UEFA Champions League triumph this season.
In a year that will once again produce a new winner, 2024 recipient Rodri is notably absent from the list due to a knee ligament injury that sidelined him for much of the season. The list also excludes long-time greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, marking a new era in football’s most prestigious individual award.
The winner will be crowned on September 22 at the annual Ballon d’Or gala.
Spanish champions Barcelona follow with four nominees, featuring both the youngest player, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, and the oldest, 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski.
After boycotting last year’s ceremony in protest of Vinicius Jr.’s omission, Real Madrid return with three players on the shortlist, including the Brazilian winger himself.
From Italy, Napoli’s Scott McTominay makes history as the first Scottish player nominated since Ally McCoist in 1987. If he wins, he will be only the second Scotsman ever to claim the Ballon d’Or, after Denis Law in 1964—and the first from Diego Maradona’s former club.
Complete List of 2025 Ballon d’Or Nominees:
Ousmane Dembele (France / PSG)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy / PSG)
Jude Bellingham (England / Real Madrid)
Desire Doué (France / PSG)
Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands / Inter Milan)
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea / Borussia Dortmund)
Erling Haaland (Norway / Manchester City)
Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden / Arsenal)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / PSG)
Harry Kane (England / Bayern Munich)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia / PSG)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland / Barcelona)
Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina / Liverpool)
Lautaro Martinez (Argentina / Inter Milan)
Scott McTominay (Scotland / Napoli)
Kylian Mbappé (France / Real Madrid)
Nuno Mendes (Portugal / PSG)
João Neves (Portugal / PSG)
Pedri (Spain / Barcelona)
Cole Palmer (England / Chelsea)
Michael Olise (France / Bayern Munich)
Raphinha (Brazil / Barcelona)
Declan Rice (England / Arsenal)
Fabián Ruiz (Spain / PSG)
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands / Liverpool)
Vinícius Jr. (Brazil / Real Madrid)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt / Liverpool)
Florian Wirtz (Germany / Liverpool)
Vitinha (Portugal / PSG)
Lamine Yamal (Spain / Barcelona)
