How Is the Ballon d'Or Winner Chosen, and Who Could Win in 2025 — Lamine Yamal or Ousmane Dembélé?

The Ballon d'Or, football's most prestigious individual award, is presented annually by France Football to the player voted the best in the world. A 30-man shortlist is compiled by journalists from France Football and L'Équipe, with insights from former players. From there, one journalist from each of FIFA's top 100 ranked nations submits their top 10 picks, assigning points from 15 down to 1.

Voters are asked to evaluate based on three criteria: individual performance, team success, and fair play. The player with the highest total points wins, with ties broken by the number of first-place votes. Since 2022, the award has been judged over a single football season instead of a calendar year, better reflecting the rhythm of club competitions.

Prediction:

10: Désiré Doué

9: Pedri

8: Cole Palmer

7: Mbappe

6: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

5: Raphinha

4: Vintinha

3: Mohamed Salah

2: Lamine Yamal

1: Ousmane Dembele

As for the 2025 race, PSG's Ousmane Dembélé currently leads the pack following a Champions League-winning campaign. Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah are also strong contenders, boasting impressive stats and silverware. However, as history shows, narrative and timing often influence the final decision — and late-season form could be the deciding factor when the winner is announced in Paris.