Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is the bookmakers’ favourite to lift his first Ballon d’Or on Monday night in Paris, following a standout season in which he contributed 43 goals and assists across Ligue 1 and the Champions League as part of PSG’s historic treble.
Dembele, 28, is expected to face stiff competition from Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal, who led Barca to a domestic double with 18 goals and 25 assists, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, the Premier League’s top scorer with 29 goals last season.
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, also nominated, publicly backed Dembele to win, telling French TV: “If it were up to me, I’d deliver it to his house.”
PSG dominate the 30-man shortlist, with nine players nominated, including Portugal’s Nations League winners Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves. Five British players are also in contention: Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Harry Kane and Napoli’s Scott McTominay — the first Scot shortlisted since 1987 and the reigning Serie A Player of the Year.
In the women’s category, the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 triumph has propelled five England stars into contention for the Ballon d’Or Féminin, including Leah Williamson, Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo. Chelsea’s Lucy Bronze and Hannah Hampton are also nominated, with Hampton tipped for the Women’s Yashin Award for best goalkeeper.
Spain’s Aitana Bonmati, the Euro 2025 Player of the Tournament, is bidding for a third consecutive Ballon d’Or Féminin, while Lionesses’ manager Sarina Wiegman is among the frontrunners for the Women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy for best coach after guiding England to a third straight European title.
Other key categories feature Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly among nominees for the Men’s Kopa Trophy (best under-21 player), and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez alongside Alisson Becker, Gianluigi Donnarumma, David Raya and Matz Sels in the Men’s Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper.
The awards ceremony will take place Monday night in Paris.
