Who are the finalists, favorites to win The Best FIFA Men’s Player award 2025?

Fresh after his sensational individual victory, the first of his career, there is one clear favourite for FIFA’s The Best award for 2025. The man who made everyone stand up and applaud after a stunning year of victory for him and his team, culminating in football’s top prize, that famous golden ball, being handed to him. Can Donald Trump go one step further and claim The Best?

Of course, I’m joking, but would he cry ‘AI’ if a video from one of his tech buddies saw him score an overhead kick from the halfway line for the USMNT against Venezuela and take home the Puskas Award? I’ll let you decide.

Anyway, back to reality. Here are the actual candidates to take the trophy:

Ousmane Dembélé, PSG

The French forward is the current holder of the Ballon d’Or, picking up the individual award for the first time after a stunning season saw Paris Saint Germain lift their first ever UEFA Champions League.

He was named Champions League player of the season and Ligue 1 player of the year but has been out due to an injury for large swathes of the early part of the season. Nevertheless, his display of talent last season is what has propelled him to the top of the odds list once again.

Pedri, FC Barcelona

Ah, where to begin with Pedri? Basically, everything he does is correct. Every decision he makes on the pitch is correct. He keeps Barcelona ticking along and the way he does so, dancing across the grass like a flower petal in the summer breeze, only adds to the joy he brings to the game.

4 goals and 5 assists last season is a solid return for a player who tends to hold off and let the others grab the headlines, but they wouldn’t be able to do it without him.

Raphinha, FC Barcelona

It seems as though Raphinha took it somewhat personally when he failed to win the Ballon d’Or that Dembélé took home, and he may well be right. His numbers last season for FC Barcelona were outrageous: 18 goals and 12 assists in LaLiga, along with 13 goals and 9 assists in Europe saw his side win both LaLiga and the Copa del Rey.

He led Barcelona from the front as Hansi Flick’s key component in his press; with a relentless work-rate and desire to contribute positively, Raphinha was a manager’s dream last season.

Vitinha, PSG

The PSG metronome, Vitinha propelled himself into the ‘best in his class’ category last season for PSG.

The Portuguese midfielder led the all-action style of manager Luis Enrique with levels of class envied by the rest of Europe, and while his 7 goals and 3 assists across Ligue 1 and the Champions League don’t speak of efficiency in front of goal, it’s fair to say that PSG wouldn’t have come close to winning either of those trophies without him in the side.

Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid

The winner of the Golden Shoe, Mbappé’s first season at Real Madrid was characterised by goals rather than glory as Los Blancos failed to win a trophy.

31 LaLiga goals was not enough to win the league title but still his influence on the pitch is undeniable and he is rightly nominated for the award this year.

Lamine Yamal, FC Barcelona

The young winger has shown his class for both club and country the past year, going from a player with a spark to an outright genius who can control games from the first whistle.

9 goals and 15 assists in the domestic competition last season from the right side was enough for him to claim LaLiga, with 5 goals and 4 assists in Europe getting Barcelona all the way to the semi-finals. The small matter of him also being Spain’s best attacker as they won Euro 2024 and subsequently cemented their place as the favourite for the upcoming World Cup also saw his reputation skyrocket, with many pundits now considering him the most exciting talent on the planet.