Ballon d'Or contenders for 2025: who leads the men’s and women’s race

Two Ballon d'Or ceremonies will crown the world's best male and female players on Monday, with 30 nominees announced last month for both prizes. The awards will be handed at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, recognizing standout performances from the 2024-25 season.

BBC Sport and partner outlets analyzed six leading contenders for each prize, drawing on statistics from 2024-25 across all club competitions for the men and all league matches for the women. The six men most often cited are Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Raphinha (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) and Lamine Yamal (Barcelona).

Dembele played a key role in PSG’s success, contributing 35 goals and 14 assists across 53 appearances (3,483 minutes). He helped PSG win Ligue 1, reach the Club World Cup final, and he was named in Ligue 1’s team of the season and as player of the year. In the Champions League, he starred with eight goals and six assists, including pivotal contributions in the knockout stages and the Club World Cup wins over Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Kane has been a consistent threat for Bayern Munich, tallying 41 goals and 12 assists in 51 appearances (3,955 minutes) and 53 goal involvements overall. He claimed the Bundesliga title with Bayern, including a prolific September in which he scored 10 times in 11 days, highlighted by a two-goal England performance and a trio of tallies in a late-Chapter league clash and a big Champions League win.

Mbappe, who moved to Real Madrid, finished his first season in Spain as La Liga’s top scorer with 31 goals from 34 league games, while adding 4 assists and 49 goal contributions across 59 appearances (4,742 minutes). He also played a decisive role in Europe, including a knockout-round showing that helped Madrid advance and extend his record with France, reaching a landmark 50 goals for his country.

Raphinha contributed 34 goals and 22 assists in 57 appearances (4,661 minutes), helping Barcelona win La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España. He was La Liga’s player of the season and finished as joint-top scorer in the Champions League, with 13 goals in 14 games, including a hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Bayern Munich.

Mohamed Salah played a defining part in Liverpool’s English title charge, with 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 games (4,497 minutes), totaling 57 goal involvements to set a Premier League record. He won the league’s player of the year honor as Liverpool claimed the championship, and he scored three Champions League goals before Liverpool’s exit in the last 16.

Lamine Yamal, 18, produced 18 goals and 21 assists in 55 appearances (4,548 minutes) as he helped Barcelona complete the Spanish treble. He won La Liga’s player of the month at one point and was named in both La Liga and Champions League teams of the season, continuing to establish himself as one of the game’s brightest young talents.

In the women’s race, Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona) is one of the strongest contenders, with 12 goals and 6 assists in 26 appearances (1,913 minutes) and a total of 18 goal contributions. She helped Barcelona secure the domestic treble, continuing her peak form through the Euros and domestic campaigns.

Alessia Russo (Arsenal) contributed 12 goals and 2 assists in 21 appearances (1,686 minutes) for a total of 14 goal contributions. The Arsenal forward was pivotal as the club boasted strong attacking form and she added the European Championship crown to her accolades, earning recognition as the Women’s Writers’ Association’s player of the year.

Alexia Putellas (Barcelona) produced 16 goals and 11 assists in 24 appearances (1,620 minutes) for 27 goal contributions, as Barcelona again won the league and pursued a domestic treble. Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, remained one of the competition’s most influential players despite Barcelona’s mixed campaign in Europe.

Claudia Pina (Barcelona) had 10 goals and 7 assists in 27 appearances (1,557 minutes) for 17 goal contributions. She was the Champions League’s top scorer and contributed heavily to Barcelona’s domestic success, with 24 total goals for club and country across the season.

Lucy Bronze (Chelsea) appeared 19 times (1,491 minutes) with 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 contributions. The England right-back helped Chelsea clinch the WSL title, the FA Cup and the League Cup, and she played through a tibial fracture to contribute in England’s Euro 2025 campaign.

Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal) tallied 9 goals and 5 assists in 21 appearances (1,774 minutes) for 14 contributions. She arrived from Barcelona to bolster Arsenal’s attack and played a key role as the Gunners won the Champions League alongside domestic successes in Europe’s top league.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will crown the winners on Monday, with the public able to participate in the voting process on the official Ballon d’Or website as part of the award’s broader judging, which combines these season-long statistics with panel deliberations.

The 2024-25 campaign underscored the breadth of excellence across both genders, with a mix of established icons and rising talents contending for football’s most prestigious individual prize. The outcome will come after a season defined by standout performances across Europe’s top leagues, where players from PSG, Bayern, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool and Arsenal featured prominently in both verdicts.

The awards are one of the sport’s highest-profile moments, and the results will resonate across clubs, leagues and national teams as players reflect on an exceptional year of football across the world. Readers can follow the ceremony and the final decision as the announcements are made, with analysis and reaction likely to pour in from across the sport’s global community.