Ballon d’Or 2025: Leaks, Bias and Backlash – Start Time, Stream Details and Who Really Deserves the Crown -

The Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place this evening at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris where the world’s best footballer will be crowned. Both the best men’s and women’s player of the 2024/25 season will be honoured by the top award but unlike in previous years players will not have the chance to use the first months of the current season to enter the running.

The shortlists for the 2025 Ballon d’Or were announced in August, with Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele among the nominees for the men’s award.

England internationals Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice and Harry Kane are also on the 30-player shortlist, while Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay has been nominated for the first time after winning the Serie A title with Napoli.

The first Champions League victory for Paris Saint-Germain and another Ligue Un title will enhance the status of Ousmane Dembele, the current men’s favorite. However, he is up against tough competition from remarkable talents like Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. Additionally, Mohamed Salah’s record-breaking year contributed to Liverpool winning another Premier League title, making him a contender as well.

The full list of nominated men’s players is as follows:

Ousmane Dembele (PSG)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG)
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Desire Doue (PSG)
Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan)
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)
Erling Haaland (Man City)
Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)
Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG)
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
Scott McTominay (Napoli)
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
Nuno Mendes (PSG)
Joao Neves (PSG)
Pedri (Barcelona)
Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
Raphinha (Barcelona)
Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Fabian Ruiz (PSG)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)
Vitinha (PSG)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Here’s the full list of players in contention for the Kopa Trophy:

Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona and Spain)
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille and France)
Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain and France)
Estevao (Palmeiras/Chelsea and Barcelona)
Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth/Real Madrid and Spain)
Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal and England)
Rodrigo Mora (Porto and Portugal)
Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal)
Kenan Yildiz (Juventus and Turkey)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona and Spain)

In the women’s category, England’s victory at Euro 2025 means there are several Lionesses nominated and Arsenal’s victory over Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final could help the chances of Alessia Russo or Leah Williamson picking up the award. Spanish stars and former Ballon d’Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas cannot be discounterd with Mariona Caldentey also nominated.

The shortlist for the 2025 Ballon d’Or Feminin was also announced in August, with Aitana Bonmati, Marta and Alexia Putellas among the nominees.

United States women’s national team captain Lindsey Heaps is also on the 30-player shortlist alongside international team-mate Emily Fox.

Fox is one of seven Arsenal players nominated the most of any club alongside Mariona Caldentey, Steph Catley, Chloe Kelly, Frida Maanum, Alessia Russo and Leah Williamson. Arsenal won the 2025 Champions League with victory over Barcelona, their first triumph in the competition since 2007.