Bellingham, Palmer and Rice all on the prestigious list with Dembele, Yamal and Raphinha
The 30-player shortlist for the 2025 Ballon d’Or has been announced, and it includes some notable names alongside the expected ones.
Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are the Real Madrid contingent, facing off against Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Pedri from Barcelona.
Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, who also completed a historic quadruple, dominate the list. Ousmane Dembele is of course present, joined by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Achraf Hakimi, Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Desire Doue and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
There is a place for Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, and Declan Rice from the Premier League. Arsenal’s new signing Viktor Gyokeres is also present, alongside Liverpool’s £116m asset Florian Wirtz.
Elsewhere, Scotland’s Scott McTominay earns a first Ballon d’Or nomination following a title-winning campaign with Napoli.
For the second consecutive year there is no place for Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, with both greats now quietly on the side and leaving the stage gradually.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in Paris on 22 September.
Full Ballon d’Or 2025 30-Man Shortlist
Ousmane Dembele (PSG)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG)
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Desire Doue (PSG)
Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan)
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)
Erling Haaland (Man City)
Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)
Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG)
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
Scott McTominay (Napoli)
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
Nuno Mendes (PSG)
Joao Neves (PSG)
Pedri (Barcelona)
Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
Raphinha (Barcelona)
Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Fabian Ruiz (PSG)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool )
Florian Wirtz (Liverpool )
Vitinha (PSG )
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
