2025 Ballon d’Or nominees revealed: Dembele and Lamine Yamal lead star-studded list

Ousmane Dembele and teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal have emerged as early frontrunners after France Football unveiled the 30-man shortlist for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual prize in men’s football.

The pair headline a competitive field following stellar campaigns for PSG and Barcelona respectively, as the global spotlight shifts to Paris for the September 22 awards gala.

Dembele’s resurgence at PSG and Yamal’s breakout season with Barcelona — which included a standout performance at Euro 2025 — have positioned them as strong contenders.

The nomination of 18-year-old Yamal marks a historic moment, reinforcing his rapid rise as one of the most promising talents in the game.

Other notable names on the list include England’s Jude Bellingham, Norway’s Erling Haaland, Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, all of whom delivered standout performances during the qualifying period of August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025.

French-English forward Michael Olise, who made a high-profile switch to Bayern Munich and declared for France earlier this year, is among the debut nominees.

Africa’s representation includes Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), and Serhou Guirassy (Guinea), while South America boasts the likes of Lautaro Martinez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Vinicius Jr.

The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony will also feature the Women’s Ballon d’Or, the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper, and the Kopa Trophy, where Yamal is again expected to compete among the favourites.

Here are the nominees for the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or:

1. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid & England)
2. Ousmane Dembele (PSG & France)
3. Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG & Italy)
4. Desire Doue (PSG & France)
5. Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan & Netherlands)
6. Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund & Guinea)
7. Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal & Sweden)
8. Erling Haaland (Manchester City & Norway)
9. Achraf Hakimi (PSG & Morocco)
10. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich & England)
11. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG & Georgia)
12. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona & Poland)
13. Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool & Argentina)
14. Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan & Argentina)
15. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid & France)
16. Scott McTominay (Napoli & Scotland)
17. Nuno Mendes (PSG & Portugal)
18. Joao Neves (PSG & Portugal)
19. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich & France)
20. Cole Palmer (Chelsea & England)
21. Pedri (Barcelona & Spain)
22. Raphinha (Barcelona & Brazil)
23. Declan Rice (Arsenal & England)
24. Fabian Ruiz (PSG & Spain)
25. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool & Egypt)
26. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool & Netherlands)
27. Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid & Brazil)
28. Vitinha (PSG & Portugal)
29. Florian Wirtz (Liverpool & Germany)
30. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona & Spain)