Ballon d’Or 2025: Paris Rolls Out the Red Carpet for its 69th Edition

Come September 22, the spotlight shifts to the grand Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris as football royalty gathers for one of the sport’s most glamorous nights, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony. French Football is set to host the 69th edition of the awards, and while the tuxedos will be sharp and the speeches polished, the competition this year promises just as much drama as the red carpet.

The awards will celebrate brilliance across the pitch, spotlighting the finest individual and team performances between August 1, 2024, and July 31, 2025. But it’s not just about goals and assists, grace, sportsmanship, and consistency over the season play a big role in how the international panel of top-tier football journalists casts their votes.

Even last year’s winner, Rodri, will most likely miss out of the selection, having been sidelined for most of the season due to injury. So, who’s stepping into the spotlight?

Here’s a taste of the talent vying for football’s most coveted individual prize:

Men’s Ballon d’Or:

Women’s Ballon d’Or:

Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper):

Alisson Becker
Yassine Bounou
Lucas Chevalier
Thibaut Courtois
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Emiliano Martinez
Jan Oblak
David Raya
Matz Sels
Yann Sommer

Women’s Yashin Trophy:

Ann-Katrin Berger
Cata Coll
Hannah Hampton
Chiamaka Nnadozie
Daphne van Domselaar

Kopa Trophy (best U-21 player):

Ayyoub Bouaddi
Pau Cubarsi
Désiré Doué
Estevao  
Dean Huijsen
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Rodrigo Mora
Joao Neves
Lamine Yamal
Kenan Yildiz