With the 2024/25 European football season complete, excitement is beginning to build as the selection of the 2025 Ballon d'Or winners draws closer.
We are near now to finding out who France Football will crown as the winner of the world's most coveted individual football prize.
Each year, the Ballon d'Or is given to the best male and female players in the sport — a subjective task left to the collective voters to determine.
However, before the winner can be chosen, a shortlist must be drafted. Thirty players are set to be named by the Ballon d'Or organisers, France Football, from which the winner will be chosen.
The Sporting News details who has been named among the 30 best football players around the world across the most recent season, with the eventual Ballon d'Or winner hidden somewhere in the mix.
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Ballon d'Or 2025 nominees list
France Football has released their nominees for both the men's and women's 2025 Ballon d'Or award. Journalists at the publication, in tandem with fellow French outlet L'Equipe, determined the 30 players from which the voting will commence.
From there, Ballon d'Or voters will rank the players on the list to determine who they believe should win the award, with the presentation of the trophy to take place on September 22.
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2025 men's Ballon d'Or shortlist
The following 30 players were officially nominated for the men's Ballon d'Or in 2025, announced on Thursday, August 7.
| Player | Pos | Nationality | Club (Nation) | Age |
| Jude Bellingham | CM | England | Real Madrid (ESP) | 22 |
| Ousmane Dembele | FWD | France | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 28 |
| Gianluigi Donnarumma | GK | Italy | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 26 |
| Desire Doue | FWD | France | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 20 |
| Denzel Dumfries | RB | Netherlands | Inter Milan (ITA) | 29 |
| Serhou Guirassy | FWD | Guinea | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 29 |
| Viktor Gyokeres | FWD | Sweden | Sporting CP (POR) | 27 |
| Erling Haaland | FWD | Norway | Manchester City (ENG) | 25 |
| Achraf Hakimi | RB | Morocco | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 26 |
| Harry Kane | FWD | England | Bayern Munich (GER) | 32 |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | FWD | Georgia | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 24 |
| Lamine Yamal | FWD | Spain | Barcelona (ESP) | 18 |
| Robert Lewandowski | FWD | Poland | Barcelona (ESP) | 36 |
| Alexis Mac Allister | CM | Argentina | Liverpool (ENG) | 26 |
| Lautaro Martinez | FWD | Argentina | Inter Milan (ITA) | 27 |
| Kylian Mbappe | FWD | France | Real Madrid (ESP) | 26 |
| Scott McTominay | CM | England | Napoli (ITA) | 28 |
| Nuno Mendes | LB | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 23 |
| Joao Neves | CM | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 20 |
| Michael Olise | FWD | France | Bayern Munich (GER) | 23 |
| Cole Palmer | ACM | England | Chelsea (ENG) | 23 |
| Pedri | CM | Spain | Barcelona (ESP) | 22 |
| Declan Rice | CM | England | Arsenal (ENG) | 26 |
| Fabian Ruiz | CM | Spain | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 29 |
| Raphinha | FWD | Brazil | Barcelona (ESP) | 28 |
| Mohamed Salah | FWD | Egypt | Liverpool (ENG) | 33 |
| Virgil van Dijk | CB | Netherlands | Liverpool (ENG) | 34 |
| Vinicius Jr. | FWD | Brazil | Real Madrid (ESP) | 25 |
| Vitinha | CM | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) | 25 |
| Florian Wirtz | ACM | Germany | Bayer Leverkusen (GER) | 22 |
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30-player shortlist for 2025 women's Ballon d'Or
The following 30 players were officially nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or in 2025, announced on Thursday, August 7.
| Player | Pos | Nationality | Club (Nation) | Age |
| Sandy Baltimore | FWD | France | Chelsea (ENG) | 25 |
| Barbara Banda | FWD | Zambia | Orlando Pride (USA) | 25 |
| Aitana Bonmati | FWD | Spain | Barcelona (ESP) | 27 |
| Lucy Bronze | RB | England | Chelsea (ENG) | 33 |
| Klara Buhl | FWD | Germany | Bayern Munich (GER) | 24 |
| Mariona Caldentey | ACM | Spain | Arsenal (ENG) | 29 |
| Sofia Cantore | FWD | Italy | Juventus/Washington Spirit | 25 |
| Steph Catley | CB | Australia | Arsenal (ENG) | 31 |
| Temwa Chawinga | FWD | Malawi | Kansas City Current (USA) | 26 |
| Melchie Dumornay | FWD | Haiti | Lyon (FRA) | 22 |
| Emily Fox | RB | USA | Arsenal (ENG) | 27 |
| Cristiana Girella | FWD | Italy | Juventus (ITA) | 35 |
| Esther Gonzalez | FWD | Spain | Gotham FC (USA) | 32 |
| Caroline Graham Hansen | FWD | Norway | Barcelona (ESP) | 30 |
| Patri Guijarro | CM | Spain | Barcelona (ESP) | 27 |
| Amanda Gutierres | FWD | Brazil | Palmeiras (BRA) | 24 |
| Hannah Hampton | GK | England | Chelsea (ENG) | 24 |
| Pernille Harder | FWD | Denmark | Bayern Munich (GER) | 32 |
| Lindsey Heaps | CM | USA | Lyon (FRA) | 31 |
| Chloe Kelly | FWD | England | Arsenal (ENG) | 27 |
| Frida Leonhardsen Maanum | CM | Norway | Arsenal (ENG) | 26 |
| Marta | FWD | Brazil | Orlando Pride (USA) | 39 |
| Clara Mateo | FWD | France | Paris FC (FRA) | 27 |
| Ewa Pajor | FWD | Poland | Barcelona (ESP) | 28 |
| Claudia Pina | FWD | Spain | Barcelona (ESP) | 23 |
| Alexia Putellas | CM | Spain | Barcelona (ESP) | 31 |
| Alessia Russo | FWD | England | Arsenal (ENG) | 26 |
| Johanna Rytting Kaneryd | FWD | Sweden | Chelsea (ENG) | 28 |
| Caroline Weir | CM | Scotland | Real Madrid (ESP) | 30 |
| Leah Williamson | CB | England | Arsenal (ENG) | 28 |
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