Ballon d’Or 2025: full list of candidates and nominees

The Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris throws open its doors on 22 September to welcome the best of the soccer world as players, head coaches and executives gather to celebrate the 2025 Ballon d’Or award ceremony.

For the 69th edition of the awards ceremony, founders France Football are preparing for an event celebrating the best in the game based on performances over the season, from August 1, 2024, to July 31, 2025.

Individual and team performances, achievements along with class and fair play are the key criteria used by an international jury of 100 specialised journalists when voting on the best players.

Over the course of the evening, several different awards will be handed out (including the first Women’s Kopa and Women’s Yashin trophies) and this year’s ceremony will be missing two key names for the second time in a decade, as neither Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo (with eight and five wins respectively) have been included in the shortlist of 30 players nominated for the Men’s Player of the Season award. Interestingly, neither is last year’s winner, Man City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri, due to being injured for most of the period.

The main contenders for the men’s award are: Ousmane Dembélé, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Désiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kylian Mbappé, Lautaro Martínez, Pedri, Raphinha, Mohamed Salah, and Lamine Yamal.

Nominees for the 2025 awards

Men’s Ballon d’Or

Women’s Ballon d’Or

Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper)

Women’s Yashin Trophy

Kopa Trophy (best U-21 player)

Women’s Kopa Trophy

Men’s Coach of the Year

Women’s Coach of the Year

Men’s Club of the Year

Women’s Club of the Year