Lamine Yamal, Mohamed Salah among Ballon d’Or 2025 nominees

The Ballon d’Or 2025 nominee list has officially dropped, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most competitive years in recent memory. With Manchester City’s Rodri sidelined by injury and out of the race, the door has swung wide open for a new king to claim the sport’s highest individual honor, SI reports. Could it be Mohamed Salah or even Lamine Yamal?

Here are the 2025 Ballon d'Or nominees!#ballondor pic.twitter.com/tehmbU4R0j

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) August 7, 2025

Paris Saint-Germain headline the men’s nominations, with a staggering 10 players from their treble-winning squad making the list. The club finally captured its first Champions League title in emphatic fashion, crushing Inter Milan 5–0 in the final. Ousmane Dembélé, a standout in that historic run, now leads the pack of favorites. He’s flanked by fellow PSG nominees like Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who all played pivotal roles in one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory.

Still, one name stands tall among the challengers: Mohamed Salah. The Liverpool talisman has been on a tear, notching 28 goals and 18 assists to lead Arne Slot’s side to a Premier League title. “This is my best chance,” Salah admitted in an interview with Sky Sports. “It’s been a crazy year, a crazy season with a trophy. It’s given me a good chance.” Few would argue with that.

Yamal’s moment, Arsenal’s rise, and the changing of the guard

Barcelona’s youth movement is also front and center. Lamine Yamal, at just 17, continues to make waves with his fearless performances, helping Barça to a domestic double and a Champions League semifinal run. He’s joined by teammates Raphinha, Pedri, and Robert Lewandowski on the ballot, a testament to the club’s balanced mix of experience and promise.

Over in Serie A, Scott McTominay has turned heads by leading Napoli to a surprise Scudetto, while Arsenal’s resurgence sees Declan Rice and Viktor Gyokeres crash the list after a strong campaign.

With no runaway favorite and a blend of breakout stars and seasoned legends, the 2025 Ballon d’Or feels more like a heavyweight title fight than a coronation. September’s ceremony can’t come soon enough and we'll see if Mohamed Salah's best chance feeling is correct.