Ballon d'Or 2025: Ousmane Dembélé Emerges as Leading Contender
Respected outlet GiveMeSport has released its latest power ranking of top candidates for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, with Ousmane Dembélé now sitting firmly at the top spot following the conclusion of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League Final.
The French winger, who had a transformative season with Paris Saint-Germain, delivered a standout performance in the final despite not scoring. His relentless work rate, defensive tracking, and intelligent link-up play were pivotal in destabilizing Inter Milan’s defensive structure — a performance that drew praise for its maturity and tactical discipline, far beyond his usual attacking flair.
Hot on Dembélé’s heels are two rising stars from FC Barcelona — teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Brazilian winger Raphinha, both of whom had exceptional campaigns for the Catalan giants.
The current top six contenders, according to GiveMeSport, also includes Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, Desire Doué of Stade Rennais, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Napoli. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé, who once led the Ballon d'Or race earlier in the season, has dropped to 8th place in the updated rankings.
