Tonight, the world of football turns to Paris for the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony, celebrating the best male and female players of the past season. 

The men’s award is largely expected to go to PSG’s Ousmane Dembele for his crucial role in winning the Champions League, though Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and teen sensation Lamine Yamal pose major threats. 

In the women’s category, Barcelona’s two-time winner Aitana Bonmati is in a tough contest with Arsenal’s Champions League winners, like Alessia Russo, whose clutch performances in major finals have made her a top contender. 

The ultimate winners will be decided by specialized journalists voting on individual effort, team success, and fair play across the season.

The men’s award is shaping up as a clash between Europe’s Champions League heroes and domestic goal machines. 

Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain is the frontrunner, credited as the pivotal force behind the club’s historic first-ever Champions League victory, a feat complemented by a Ligue 1 title and the Ligue 1 Player of the Year honour. 

His stellar 35 goals and 14 assists across the season, including key contributions in the European final, solidify his position.

However, the competition is fierce. 

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah delivered a spectacular domestic season, with 34 goals and 23 assists helping his team clinch the Premier League title, earning him the Golden Boot for the fourth time and Player of the Year accolades. 

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has dazzled with 18 goals and 21 assists, driving his club to a Spanish treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa).

Other statistical giants include Kylian Mbappe, who racked up 44 goals at Real Madrid and became France’s third all-time 50-goal scorer, and Harry Kane, who finally secured major silverware with the Bundesliga title after scoring 41 goals for Bayern Munich. 

Also in the running are PSG’s defensive rock Achraf Hakimi and Scott McTominay, who became the first Scot nominated since 1987 after leading Napoli to Serie A glory. 

Votes are cast by specialized journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations.

The women’s Ballon d’Or spotlights players who shone in their respective leagues and international tournaments. 

Aitana Bonmati, the two-time reigning champion, remains a perennial threat, having led Barcelona to yet another Spanish domestic treble and reaching the Euros semi-finals with Spain.

Her stiffest competition comes from the Champions League winners at Arsenal: Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey. 

Russo delivered clutch performances, winning the Champions League, scoring in the Euros final for England, and sharing the Women’s Super League (WSL) Golden Boot. 

Caldentey, who won the WSL Player of the Year award during her debut season with Arsenal, also scored a vital goal in the Euros final for Spain.

Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas, a two-time past winner, had another strong individual season, contributing 16 goals and 11 assists to Barcelona’s domestic treble. 

The field also features several members of the Euros-winning England squad, including defensive leader Lucy Bronze, who played through a fractured tibia to secure the national victory. 

The voting panel consists of journalists from the top 50 nations, making the final outcome a tense decision between Bonmati’s sustained dominance and the tournament-defining heroics of the English club champions.

The Ballon d’Or judges performances from August to July, prioritizing decisiveness and class. 

The award, however, is no stranger to controversy and debate. 

Past incidents include a 2023 ban on an Argentine journalist for biased voting and a bizarre episode in 2018 involving a fake voter from Comoros.

These moments underscore the reality that the Golden Ball blends objective statistics with subjective narratives and personal opinions. 

Past legends often weigh in, such as when Jurgen Klopp and Steven Gerrard publicly argued that Virgil van Dijk deserved the 2019 award over the eventual winner, Messi. 

Regardless of who takes home the trophy, the ceremony serves as the ultimate celebration of football’s global talent and enduring star power.