Ballon d'Or 2025 Nominees Unveiled Ahead of Paris Ceremony

The anticipation for football’s most prestigious awards reached new heights today as the full list of nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or was officially unveiled. Jointly organised by UEFA and Groupe Amaury — the parent company of France Football and L’Équipe, the awards will honour the most outstanding individual and team performances across global football over the past year.

The ceremony will be the 69th Ballon d'Or set to take place on Monday, 22 September 2025, at the historic Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, where football's elite will gather for what promises to be a night of glamour and global recognition.

Key Award Categories:

Ballon d'Or® (Men and Women)

Kopa Trophy (Best Young Player)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper)

Gerd Müller Trophy (Top Scorer)

Johan Cruyff Trophy (Best Coach)

Club of the Year (Men and Women)

Men’s Ballon d’Or 2025: A Battle of Big Names and Breakout Stars

The 30-man shortlist features football’s most celebrated talents and rising stars. Real Madrid's trio — Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior  and Kylian Mbappé headline the list alongside Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain); Erling Haaland (Manchester City); Harry Kane (Bayern); Mohamed Salah (Liverpool). Breakout names such as Michael Olise, Cole Palmer, and João Neves reflect a generational shift taking hold at the top level.

Full List of Men's Ballon d'Or 2025 nominees

Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)

Ousmane Dembélé (France, Paris Saint-Germain)

Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)

Désiré Doué (France, Paris Saint-Germain)

Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands, Inter)

Serhou Guirassy (Guinea, Borussia Dortmund)

Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden, Sporting CP/Arsenal)

Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)

Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain)

Harry Kane (England, Bayern)

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, Napoli/Paris Saint-Germain)

Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Barcelona)

Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina, Liverpool)

Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter)

Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid)

Scott McTominay (Scotland, Napoli)

Nuno Mendes (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)

João Neves (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)

Michael Olise (France, Bayern)

Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea)

Pedri (Spain, Barcelona)

Raphinha (Brazil, Barcelona)

Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)

Fabián Ruiz (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool)

Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool)

Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)

Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)

Florian Wirtz (Germany, Leverkusen/Liverpool)

Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

Women’s Ballon d’Or 2025: Global Diversity on Display

Among the 30 women nominated, World Cup winner and reigning title holder - Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona) is a clear frontrunner. She is joined by legends like Marta (Brazil) and rising African talents such as Barbra Banda (Zambia) and Temwa Chawinga (Malawi). England’s Leah Williamson and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie also feature, showcasing the increasing global footprint of women’s football.

Full List of Women's Ballon d'Or 2025 nominees

Sandy Baltimore (France, Chelsea)

Barbra Banda (Zambia, Orlando Pride)

Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)

Lucy Bronze (England, Chelsea)

Klara Bühl (Germany, Bayern)

Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Arsenal)

Sofia Cantore (Italy, Juventus/Washington Spirit)

Steph Catley (Australia, Arsenal)

Temwa Chawinga (Malawi, Kansas City)

Melchie Dumornay (Haiti, OL Lyonnes)

Emily Fox (United States, Arsenal)

Cristiana Girelli (Italy, Juventus)

Esther González (Spain, Gotham FC)

Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)

Patri Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)

Amanda Gutierres (Brazil, Palmeiras)

Hannah Hampton (England, Chelsea)

Pernille Harder (Denmark, Bayern)

Lindsey Heaps (United States, OL Lyonnes)

Chloe Kelly (England, Manchester City/Arsenal)

Frida Maanum (Norway, Arsenal)

Marta (Brazil, Orlando Pride)

Clara Mateo (France, Paris FC)

Ewa Pajor (Poland, Barcelona)

Clàudia Pina (Spain, Barcelona)

Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)

Alessia Russo (England, Arsenal)

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Sweden, Chelsea)

Caroline Weir (Scotland, Real Madrid)

Leah Williamson (England, Arsenal)

Spotlight on Young Talent: Kopa Trophy

The Kopa Trophy shortlist shines a light on football’s most promising under-21s. Spain's 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), PSG's Désiré Doué, and Chelsea-bound Estêvão (Palmeiras) are among the frontrunners. For the women’s edition, England’s Michelle Agyemang and Colombia’s Linda Caicedo lead the charge.

Full List of Men's Kopa Trophy 2025 nominees

Ayyoub Bouaddi (France, Lille)

Pau Cubarsí (Spain, Barcelona)

Désiré Doué (France, Paris Saint-Germain)

Estêvão (Brazil, Palmeiras/Chelsea)

Dean Huijsen (Spain, Bournemouth/Real Madrid)

Myles Lewis-Skelly (England, Arsenal)

Rodrigo Mora (Portugal, Porto)

João Neves (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)

Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

Kenan Yıldız (Türkiye, Juventus)

Yashin Trophy: Best Between the Posts

The men’s goalkeeping honours pit veterans like Thibaut Courtois, Emiliano Martínez, and Jan Oblak against emerging names such as Lucas Chevalier. On the women’s side, Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie joins Spain’s Cata Coll and England’s Hannah Hampton in a strong field.

Coaching Excellence: Johan Cruyff Trophy

The inaugural Johan Cruyff Trophy for best coach recognises the masterminds behind the touchline. Men’s nominees include Antonio Conte (Napoli), Luis Enrique (PSG), and Hansi Flick (Barcelona), while the women’s category includes Sarina Wiegman (England), Arthur Elias (Brazil), and Justine Madugu (Nigeria).

Full List of Men's Johan Cruyff Trophy 2025 nominees

Antonio Conte (Italy, Napoli)

Luis Enrique (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)

Hansi Flick (Germany, Barcelona)

Enzo Maresca (Italy, Chelsea)

Arne Slot (Netherlands, Liverpool)

Full List of Women's Johan Cruyff Trophy 2025 nominees

Sonia Bompastor (France, Chelsea)

Arthur Elias (Brazil, Brazil national team)

Justine Madugu (Nigeria, Nigeria national team)

Renée Slegers (Netherlands, Arsenal)

Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands, England national team)

Club of the Year: A Nod to Team Success

For the Men’s Club of the Year, giants like Barcelona, Liverpool, and PSG compete for top honours. The women’s club award sees Barcelona, Arsenal, and Chelsea among those nominated, with the inclusion of Orlando Pride highlighting North America's continued impact.

Men's Club of the Year Trophy 2025 nominees

Barcelona (Spain)

Botafogo (Brazil)

Chelsea (England)

Liverpool (England)

Paris Saint-Germain (France)

Women's Club of the Year Trophy 2025 nominees

Arsenal (England)

Barcelona (Spain)

Chelsea (England)

OL Lyonnes (France)

Orlando Pride (United States)

A Celebrated Tradition Since 1956

Established by France Football in 1956, the Ballon d'Or has long been regarded as the ultimate individual accolade in world football. This year’s edition will feature a broader spectrum of recognition, with accolades across 12 distinct categories, highlighting excellence not only among players but also coaches and clubs for both men and women.

A Night to Remember

As excitement builds ahead of the September ceremony, football fans around the world will be watching to see who walks away with the golden ball and who cements their name in the sport’s storied history.