Dembele Tipped to Win Ballon d'Or as Bonmati Eyes Historic Treble
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is widely regarded as the frontrunner to claim the 2025 Ballon d’Or, potentially edging out Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, while Aitana Bonmati is aiming for a record-breaking third consecutive win in the women’s category.
The prestigious awards ceremony is set to take place on Monday at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, bringing together the global football community to celebrate individual excellence in the sport.
Dembele Leads the Men’s Ballon d'Or Race
Dembele, 28, is coming off a spectacular season with PSG, where he scored 35 goals and played a pivotal role in helping the club achieve a Champions League triumph—their first ever—by thrashing Inter Milan 5–0 in the final. PSG also secured a domestic treble and reached the Club World Cup final, with Dembele stepping up to fill the void left by Kylian Mbappe’s departure.
“This recognition means a lot after such a great season with PSG,” Dembele told Le Monde. “I know I’m among the favourites, but let’s see what happens.”
Nine PSG players feature among the 30 nominees, including Achraf Hakimi, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, now at Manchester City.
With last year’s winner Rodri out of contention due to an injury-plagued campaign, Dembele appears to be the leading candidate.
Yamal the Young Challenger
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, just 18, is also a strong contender after a breakout season. The winger scored 18 goals in 55 appearances as Barça won both La Liga and the Copa del Rey, although they fell short in the Champions League semi-finals.
Yamal previously won the Kopa Trophy in 2024 and is widely considered Messi’s heir at Camp Nou. “I don’t dream of just one Ballon d’Or,” Yamal said recently, “I dream of winning many.”
Bonmati Aims for Third Straight Women’s Title
On the women’s side, Spain and Barcelona star Aitana Bonmati, 27, is eyeing her third consecutive Ballon d'Or Féminin. She was crowned Player of the Tournament at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, although Spain narrowly lost the final to England on penalties.
Despite Barcelona’s Champions League final defeat to Arsenal, Bonmati’s overall season performance keeps her at the forefront. Her closest competition could come from Alexia Putellas, a two-time former winner, or members of the England Lionesses, including Lucy Bronze, Hannah Hampton, Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly, and captain Leah Williamson.
Notable Men’s Nominees
Other standout names on the men’s shortlist include Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Viktor Gyokeres, and Cole Palmer, as well as Mbappe and Vinicius Junior—the latter making the list a year after Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony in protest over his previous omission.
Voting Process
The Ballon d'Or is now awarded based on seasonal performance rather than calendar year, with a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations voting in the men's category, and the top 50 countries participating in the women’s vote.
With only days left until the winners are revealed, anticipation is high for what could be a landmark edition of football’s most coveted individual award.
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