Ballon d’Or 2025: Mohamed Salah faces a night of what-ifs

Mohamed Salah’s remarkable season with Liverpool has ended in what could be described as a night of missed opportunity at the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Despite registering 29 goals in 35 Premier League appearances and guiding Liverpool to domestic supremacy, the Egyptian forward was overlooked as the award went elsewhere, leaving fans and pundits questioning what might have been.

Salah entered the season as the frontrunner for football’s most prestigious individual award. His scoring consistency, leadership on the pitch, and ability to dominate games made him a clear favorite to become only the second African player, after George Weah, to lift the Ballon d’Or.

Yet, as the season progressed, circumstances beyond individual brilliance shifted the narrative.

The turning point came in March, when Liverpool, despite their domestic dominance, fell short in Europe. The Reds were eliminated early from the UEFA Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain, with Salah unable to make a decisive impact over the two-legged tie.

This outcome contrasted sharply with the expectations set earlier in the campaign and allowed rivals like Ousmane Dembélé, benefiting from PSG’s continental run, and Lamine Yamal, starring for Barcelona, to seize the spotlight. Salah’s late-season dip, though minor, reinforced the perception that he had missed the crucial moment to cement his Ballon d’Or credentials.

Statistically, Salah’s 2024–25 season was extraordinary. He secured the Premier League Player of the Year award for a record third time, demonstrating his enduring influence in one of Europe’s most competitive leagues.

Liverpool’s domestic dominance remained unchallenged, and Salah began the new season strongly, already contributing two goals and two assists in five matches. Yet, the Ballon d’Or rewards more than raw numbers; it values landmark moments, decisive performances in European or international competitions, and symbolic achievements that linger in the collective memory.

At 33, Salah continues to be a world-class talent, blending experience with explosiveness and technical mastery. However, the emergence of younger stars with high-profile moments has made the race for football’s top individual accolade even more competitive.

Like Sadio Mané before him, Salah now risks being remembered as one of Africa’s greatest talents who came tantalizingly close to the Ballon d’Or without ever claiming it.

Despite the disappointment, Salah’s legacy remains untarnished. His consistency, professionalism, and impact on Liverpool and Egyptian football are undeniable. The night may have delivered a moment of regret, but it does not diminish a career defined by brilliance, longevity, and influence at the highest levels.

For fans of the Pharaoh, the conversation now turns to when, or if, Salah might finally seize the ultimate individual prize, and whether 2025 will be remembered as a near-miss rather than a missed opportunity.

The Ballon d’Or 2025 will be remembered for Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembélé’s rise, but also as a night highlighting Mohamed Salah’s bittersweet journey—an extraordinary season overshadowed by timing and circumstance.

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan posted this picture of Mo Salah ahead of the Ballon d’Or ceremony 👀 pic.twitter.com/9wbPp1HRSp

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) September 22, 2025