Early Top 10 2025 Ballon d'Or Rankings

The race for the 2025 Ballon d'Or has never been more wide open.

With no Euros or Copa America in the summer, much of the contenders' case to win the annual award handed out by France Football will be during the European domestic season.

The B/R Football staff has worked tirelessly to reach a Top 10 consensus, and Leo Collis, Nick Akerman and Lucky Ngamwajasat voted for the best footballer so far.

La Liga dominated the list with three players each from FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Will a player from one of the Spanish giants retake the crown? Or will it be staying within the English Premier League?

Read on and submit your thoughts in the comments.

It's joyous to see Pedri fit and firing again. He's really stepped up under Hansi Flick, and at the ripe old age of 22, he should be considered one of Barcelona's most important leaders.

The Spanish midfielder's all-round quality makes him perfect in the Blaugrana's system. He’s quality at receiving the ball, turning and distributing. He can tackle, covers a lot of ground and possesses creativity when he's in the final third or sat deep. His natural buzz often sets the tone and provides an important link between Barca's excellent midfield (Marc Casadó, I see you) and their attack.

Barca are sat top of La Liga and remain in the UEFA Champions League. Both competitions are rather close. This season could yield a lot or a little depending on how the next few weeks progress. Pedri's continued efforts will be vital if they are going to deliver on the promise.

-Nick Akerman

A Ballon d'Or win for Robert Lewandowski would make him the second-oldest recipient after Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural trophy as a 41-year-old in 1956.

Perhaps fortunately for the Polish striker, he won't have such a public reminder of his advancing years because he won't be called up to collect the golden orb. 

Even at 36 years old, though, he's still putting up some huge numbers. He's bagged 35 goals in 40 games in all competitions, adding three assists for good measure. 

Lewandowski is on track for his highest-scoring La Liga season, with 12 games left to score the three needed to surpass the total of 23 he hit in his debut campaign.  

He deserves a lot of credit for his elite conditioning, and his goalscoring exploits could yet result in a La Liga title and a Champions League trophy. But he hasn't done enough to put his name seriously in the running for the top individual award in the sport—making that 2020 miss even sorer.

-Leo Collis

After taking to life in Spain like chorizo to paella in his first season, things have been a bit muted by comparison for Jude Bellingham in his second campaign, partly because the arrival of Kylian Mbappe has changed the complexion of the Real Madrid starting XI. 

However, the England international has still scored 11 goals and created 11 in 38 games across all competitions, even while having to reign in those attacking instincts slightly in favor of a little more midfield control. 

With Toni Kroos having retired and Luka Modric taking more of a back seat in his 39th year, the Madrid midfield is increasingly looking to Bellingham for leadership, and he's stepped up to the plate. 

The 21-year-old's versatility is also a huge boost for a side that needs to accommodate a number of big names, and he's excelled in every position he's been asked to feature in.

Bellingham has not made as many headlines in Season 2, but the standards he set in his debut La Liga campaign were incredibly high. A step back from that still puts you in the "excellent" category. But it's not enough for the Ballon d'Or.

-Leo Collis

Real Madrid were upset last year because they believed Vinicius Junior deserved the Balon d'Or. At the time of writing, they won't need to feel the same again this year.

The 24-year-old is again having a good season and has scored some spectacular goals, but he is being outperformed by new teammate Kylian Mbappe at this point.

Vini has 17 goals and seven assists across 32 appearances in La Liga and the Champions League, while Mbappe has 27 goals and four in 38.

I would argue the Brazil international's overall play is still more profitable when he's in his best form, but that is not showing quite as much right now. Madrid are still in the running for another trophy haul, and should they win the Champions League, the pair's final numbers may prove to be the defining factor.

That's if Rodri doesn't win it again….

-Nick Akerman

We all know the deal with Harry Kane. An immense goalscorer whose trophy cabinet somehow remains empty (well, he spent too long at Tottenham Hotspur). That should, should, change this season.

Bayern are six points clear of defending champions Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, the team they walloped 5-0 across two legs in the Champions League round of 16 earlier this month.

And Kane is pretty much always at the forefront of everything Vincent Kompany's side does well.

He's the man with an incredible 31 goals and eight assists across the Bundesliga and Champions League, but he's also the man whose ability to bring Bayern's wingers into play is invaluable to the club getting back into a position that will likely bring silverware.

This year’s Champions League final is being held at Bayern's Allianz Arena. Kane will be England's first Ballon d'Or winner in over 20 years if his side get to that point and make home advantage count.

-Nick Akerman

The Ousmane Dembele renaissance (the Dembele-ssaince?) has been one of the big stories of the 2024-25 season. 

It was starting to look like he wouldn't ever reach the heights many expected of him at a young age, which saw him make a big-money move to Borussia Dortmund in 2016 and a bank-busting switch to Barcelona in 2017.

Injuries and perhaps pressure contributed to some lackluster years, but in his second campaign with Paris Saint-Germain, he has fully emerged from his shell.

The 27-year-old has 30 goals in 37 games across all competitions, including 21 in 24 Ligue 1 appearances. Those numbers and the sheer nature of his attacking threat have put him in the running for this award. Particularly in Europe, he's been giving defenders nightmares. 

Now, perhaps surprisingly, PSG are considered one of the favorites to win the Champions League after a 15th-place finish in the League Phase. Comprehensively outplaying table-toppers Liverpool in the round of 16 certainly boosted those odds.

Dembele will need a big trophy win to make him a more realistic option to clinch the Ballon d'Or—simply because of Ligue 1's standing among the other top-five European leagues—but right now, a top-10 placing will be a welcome achievement after years of broken promises. 

-Leo Collis

So many people wanted to write Kylian Mbappe off before he even had time to settle this season. Oh, he went a few games without a goal? He's probably not worth the time then.

How silly the knee-jerk reactions look now as the former Paris Saint-Germain forward continues to prove vital in important moments for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

The 26-year-old is working hard at his new club, and now Bellingham's playing a more natural role, doesn't seem to be hampering his colleagues in the way that kept getting mentioned earlier in the season.

Little things, like chasing back to win a big tackle in the Champions League win over Atletico, are making him pass the eye test in a much more obvious way than when he resided in France.

Bellingham shouting at Vini in that same game for not showing as much effort sums up the level of scrutiny Madrid players face, so Mbappe’s extra effort shines brighter than it ever has before.

-Nick Akerman

The youngest person to win the Ballon d'Or is Brazil legend Ronaldo, who grabbed the gong at just 21 years, three months and five days old. 

Lamine Yamal will have only just turned 18 by the time the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony rolls around. While he won't break that record set by O Fenômeno, there's at least a chance he could claim a podium place.

The Spain international has 13 goals and 18 assists in 38 appearances in all competitions, but in addition to the numbers, his performances have been dazzling.

His feel for the game, his skill, pace, vision and fearlessness are incredible to witness. The youthful exuberance is refreshing and a large part of Barcelona's success this season, but the club must be worried about putting too many minutes into his still-developing legs.

Still, fears of longevity aside, Yamal is truly brilliant in the here and now. The reigning Golden Boy may pick up that award for a second consecutive year. And while he won't win the Ballon d'Or, the fact that he's even in the conversation is remarkable. 

-Leo Collis

I picked Raphinha as my number one. He deserves the Ballon d'Or in my eyes as he's the best footballer in the world right now.

Mohamed Salah may be the best goalscorer, but Raphinha contributes more when he's not hitting the back of the net. If Salah doesn't score, there have been times recently when he might as well not be on the pitch.

My biggest compliment to Raphinha is that he makes football a joy to watch at a time when players are losing their personalities due to stringent coaching. That doesn't mean he can't carry out instructions, though.

He’s one of Barcelona’s most energetic and thoughtful players, a man whose work off the ball does almost as much good as his moments on it.

The 28-year-old has always been a very good player, but this season's upturn is simply wonderful to watch. No Brazilian has ever scored more goals in a Champions League campaign. Just think about that. He scores brilliant goals, digs Barcelona out of tricky situations and remains decisive until the final whistle.

Whether it's ridiculous strikes against Benfica, or even that key cross against Atletico Madrid at the weekend, Raphinha is the guy.

Many of us grew up with Ronaldinho, Kaka, Zinedine Zidane. Players who, when they got the ball, you felt something special could happen. Football has devolved to largely eliminate such flair. Raphinha has that special ingredient to bring it back again.

-Nick Akerman

Entering the 2024-25 season, it was assumed Mohamed Salah would continue a steady decline that had seemingly begun in the previous campaign. With his contract expiring, too, the prospect of him leaving Liverpool for one last big payday seemed like a good move for all parties.

But then, the Egypt international decided to pull out a season for the ages—and he's still got nine games left at most. And the Reds might massively regret letting his deal run down.

Salah has 32 goals and 22 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions. His 44 goal contributions in the Premier League have put him on course to break the competition's record for a single campaign (47), and he's steadily been climbing the all-time goalscorer charts for both Liverpool and the English top flight.

His efforts might not have led to a Carabao Cup title, but it could bring a Premier League trophy by season's end. 

His bid for the Ballon d'Or will be hampered by the Reds' exit from the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage—his contributions of three goals and four assists to take them to the top of the League Phase are almost a distant memory—and his no-show in the Carabao Cup final.

But the 32-year-old has been immense this season. Considering the strength of the Premier League and looking at the achievements of his closest competition, I think he's the pick to grab one of the few individual honors he's yet to earn—and he'll add some extra digits to those contract offers.

-Leo Collis

Nick Akerman's Top 10

1. Raphinha
2. Mohammed Salah
3. Harry Kane
4. Lamine Yamal
5. Kylian Mbappe
6. Ousmane Dembele
7. Vinicius Junior
8. Jude Bellingham
9. Pedri
10. Robert Lewandowski

Leo Collis' Top 10

1. Mohammed Salah
2. Raphinha
3. Lamine Yamal
4. Kylian Mbappe
5. Ousmane Dembele
6. Harry Kane
7. Robert Lewandowski
8. Vinicius Junior
9. Jude Bellingham
10. Pedri

Lucky Ngamwajasat's Top 10

1. Lamine Yamal
2. Mohammed Salah
3. Ousmane Dembele
4. Raphinha
5. Kylian Mbappe
6. Jude Bellingham
7. Vinicius Junior
8. Pedri
9. Robert Lewandowski
10. Harry Kane