My TOP 10 Ballon d'Or 2025

This is my ranking, my opinion on the Ballon d'Or of the year 2025. This ranking is based on the calendar year, not the season. What counts for this ranking is the player's regularity over the calendar year, the number of matches played, the ability to raise his level in big games, statistics (goals, assists, clean sheets, goals conceded, etc.) and trophies won (collective and individual).

In the calendar year 2025, Cole Palmer transformed from promising talent into global superstar, delivering one of the most dazzling seasons in recent Chelsea history. At just 23, he racked up 18 goals and 14 assists in 52 matches, playing primarily as a roaming attacking midfielder but capable of drifting wide to devastating effect. He was Chelsea’s heartbeat in their UEFA Conference League triumph, where he was named Man of the Match in the final against Real Betis and earned a place in the Team of the Season. Just weeks later, in the FIFA Club World Cup final, Palmer torched PSG with two goals and one assist, earning the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.

In the calendar year 2025, Gianluigi Donnarumma completed one of the most dramatic redemptions in football memory—rising from heavy criticism to heroic superstardom. Early in the year, doubts swirled around his form and future, especially after a brutal incident in February when Wilfried Singo’s accidental kick left Donnarumma with a facial scar and the press with fresh ammunition. Rumors of a PSG exit intensified, tabloids mocked him with headlines like “Dollarumma cracks under pressure”, and Milan fans still resented his transfer, showering him with fake banknotes during a Champions League clash. But Donnarumma flipped the narrative. March brought his masterpiece. In the Champions League Round of 16 vs Liverpool, he saved two penalties in the shootout—becoming Luis Enrique’s superhero between the posts. Later, against Aston Villa and Arsenal, his reflexes and command ensured PSG’s run continued. And then came the final: against Inter Milan, Donnarumma stood tall—a clean sheet in a 5–0 victory, completing PSG’s first-ever treble and earning chants of “Gigio! Gigio!” from fans who once doubted him. At Club World Cup, he dragged PSG to the final with critical saves, proving clutch even in defeat to Chelsea.

In the calendar year 2025, Mohamed Salah reaffirmed his place among football’s elite with a season that felt both inevitable and unreal. At 33 years old, the Egyptian maestro was far from slowing down—in fact, he delivered one of his most complete campaigns since arriving at Liverpool. Salah’s brilliance wasn’t just in numbers—it was in moments. He dismantled Manchester City with a brace and an assist at Anfield, curled home a last-minute winner versus Chelsea, and played provider-in-chief in the EFL Cup semi-final demolition of Tottenham. In Europe, Salah scored crucial goals against Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen, though Liverpool’s campaign ended in the Round of 16 after a wild second leg loss to PSG.

In the calendar year 2025, Pedri González—Spain’s cerebral craftsman—transformed consistency into artistry and reclaimed his spot among football’s true elite. At 22, his evolution reached full bloom: no longer just the golden boy of La Masia, but Barcelona’s compass in a team chasing glory across every frontier. Under Hansi Flick’s system, Pedri became the nucleus. Tasked with balancing creation and control, he floated effortlessly between lines, dictated rhythm, and stitched attacks together with a subtlety that made brilliance look routine. Pedri’s leadership also matured. Wearing the armband in over a dozen matches, he anchored a midfield alongside Gavi and Frenkie de Jong with wisdom far beyond his years. In El Clásico, he shined under pressure with a goal and two assists at the Bernabéu, capping off what many called his finest display yet. Internationally, he was Spain’s metronome in the Nations League. His two assists against France in the semi-final and game-winning goal versus Portugal in the final sealed his legacy in La Roja’s renaissance—earning him the Tournament’s Best Midfielder award.

In the calendar year 2025, Nuno Mendes didn’t just shine—he erupted. From January through December, he dominated PSG’s left flank with breathtaking speed, tactical maturity, and game-shifting contributions in every competition. He played a staggering 42 matches across all tournaments, racking up 5 goals and 6 assists, while showcasing elite form in pivotal games such as the Champions League Final (5–0 win over Inter Milan), where he delivered a tireless 78-minute display and helped suffocate Lautaro Martínez’s threat. In Europe, Mendes netted 4 goals and 2 assists in 16 UCL matches, one of which came against Bayern Munich in a group stage stunner. His performances earned him a deserved spot in the UEFA Team of the Season. He also played a key role in PSG's path to the Club World Cup Final, logging 7 appearances including masterclasses against Chelsea and Real Madrid. But 2025 wasn’t just about club exploits—it was his international coronation. In Portugal’s UEFA Nations League triumph, Mendes was unplayable: 7 matches, 1 goal, 6 assists, including a turbocharged display in the final vs Spain that earned him both Player of the Tournament and Man of the Match honors. Throughout the knockout rounds against Denmark and Germany, he provided relentless drive and pinpoint final balls. By year's end, he had amassed 38 senior caps and cemented himself as Portugal’s left-back leader for the foreseeable future.

In the calendar year 2025, Vitinha—Portugal’s orchestrator of elegance—delivered a campaign that rewrote the definition of midfield supremacy. At 25 years old, he became the quiet storm behind Paris Saint-Germain’s treble-winning machine, fusing vision, mobility, and technical mastery into a season so complete that even Luka Modrić called him “the best midfielder in the world.” Playing at the base of Luis Enrique’s dynamic setup, Vitinha pulsed with control. He wasn't just a deep-lying playmaker—he was the metronome. His crisp passing (95% completion rate across the Champions League knockouts), intuitive positioning, and constant scanning unlocked PSG’s rhythm. From recycling possession to slicing defenses with vertical precision, his influence was everywhere yet never ostentatious. In the Champions League Final versus Inter Milan, he conducted PSG’s symphony with finesse. One assist, 11 progressive passes, and 13 recoveries—his performance earned him a spot in the UEFA Team of the Season. His pressing and positioning formed the foundation beneath Dembélé’s and Raphinha’s flair, proving that not all brilliance wears flash. Internationally, Vitinha was irreplaceable in Portugal’s triumphant Nations League run. He started every knockout game, registered three assists, and converted his penalty in the high-octane shootout win over Spain. With Bernardo Silva shifting wider, Vitinha took the mantle of central leadership, calmly dictating tempo against Germany and unlocking Spain’s press in the final.

In the calendar year 2025, Achraf Hakimi—Morocco’s electric dynamo and PSG’s vice-captain—mounted a campaign that fused speed, intelligence, and relentless ambition into one of the most complete seasons ever by a modern fullback. At 26, he stood at the peak of his powers: tactically trusted, physically dominant, and emotionally galvanized by his role in both club and country. Under Luis Enrique’s expansive system, Hakimi was no longer just a right-back—he was a total footballer. Starting plays from deep, overlapping with uncontainable pace, switching centrally into midfield to dictate tempo, and even finishing like a forward, he redefined positional versatility. With 9 goals and 8 assists across all competitions, including six goal involvements in the Champions League knockout rounds, he operated like PSG’s secret weapon—visible to all, yet impossible to contain. His performances against Inter Milan in the Champions League Final were a study in controlled destruction. While Dembélé stole headlines up front, Hakimi ravaged the flanks: pressing with unrelenting urgency (over 45 successful pressings), intercepting key passes, and bursting forward to assist PSG’s fourth goal with a perfectly weighted cutback. It was the type of display that left even seasoned analysts struggling to assign him a position—winger, fullback, midfield disruptor? The truth: all of the above.

In the calendar year 2025, Raphinha—Barcelona’s Brazilian firestarter—rose from the periphery of speculation to the epicenter of brilliance, delivering a season so incendiary that even his doubters were forced to bow. At 28, the winger transformed into Hansi Flick’s most potent weapon, not just surviving in the tactical labyrinth of Barça’s new system but reigning as its heartbeat. It wasn’t just his numbers—18 goals, 16 assists, and co-top scorer of the Champions League with 13 goals—it was the way he did it. In a front line bursting with promise, Raphinha became the captain and conductor, wearing the armband with verve and responsibility, leading by example and velocity. His hat-trick against Bayern Munich in the group stage was a statement; his thunderbolt volley in the Supercopa final against Madrid was a signature. No one pressed like him, no one fought like him, and few dared what he attempted—and delivered. Named La Liga Player of the Year and Best Player of the Champions League, Raphinha made every appearance count. His five Man of the Match awards in Champions League fixtures were not accolades—they were reminders that in 2025, he was the moment. 

In the calendar year 2025, Lamine Yamal—Spain’s prodigy forged in the fires of La Masia—elevated teenage brilliance to mythic proportions. At just 17 years old, he orchestrated Barcelona’s resurgence with the poise of a seasoned maestro and the daring of a street footballer who never stopped playing with joy. Wearing the legendary number 19 shirt once donned by Messi, Yamal blurred the line between potential and mastery. Barça was his canvas, and Yamal painted in pure chaos and elegance: 15 goals, 13 assists, and over 38 appearances across all competitions—his dribbling a dance, his passes surgical, and his flair unmatched. Against Inter in the Champions League semi-finals, he delivered two masterpieces that defied age and pressure, completing 20 dribbles across both legs and scoring a pivotal goal in the first leg. Though Barça narrowly fell, Yamal’s performances etched into memory were those of a player rewriting what youth could achieve. Domestically, he shattered records and rival defenses alike. A dribble record against Alavés that eclipsed Messi’s historic benchmark. A Clásico goal at the Bernabéu that left Madrid stunned. A Supercopa final where his blend of creativity and coolness crowned him Man of the Match. And a Copa del Rey final in which he delivered two assists to sink Real Madrid, confirming his role as kingmaker. Internationally, he wasn’t merely part of Spain’s golden year—he was its pulse. After becoming the youngest player to score and win the Euros, he returned in June to conquer the Nations League, netting twice in a 5–4 semi-final win over France and dazzling again in the shootout triumph over Portugal. At 17, he had not one, but two major international titles.

In the calendar year 2025, Ousmane Dembélé—France’s “Maestro of Mayhem”—embraced the role of chaos incarnate and redefined what a football renaissance looks like. At 28, without a single major injury casting shadows over his season, he sculpted a campaign of precision and explosion, channeling the very spirit of unpredictability into a year that will be etched into PSG folklore. Under Luis Enrique’s daring transformation, Dembélé shed the traditional winger’s stripes and stepped into the role of a complete false 9. The move unlocked a new dimension of his game: roaming between the lines, dropping deep to stitch together play, surging forward like a dagger at the heart of defenses. In this central role, he orchestrated tempo with devastating flair—tallying 29 goals and 9 assists in all competitions—and redefining what tactical fluidity looks like in modern football. His pressing was nothing short of feral in the Champions League Final against Inter Milan. Enrique’s high-octane system demanded monsters off the ball, and Dembélé delivered—recording over 60 high-intensity pressings and forcing multiple turnovers that led directly to goals in PSG’s historic 5–0 victory. It wasn’t just a performance; it was a masterclass in energy, vision, and responsibility.