The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony is underway at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, with the football world tuned in to see who will be crowned the best player in the men’s and women’s game.
The major winners are expected to be announced from 21:00 CET (7:00 p.m. Nigerian time), and as the rankings continue to be unveiled, several global stars have already learned their fate.
The men’s list, updated live, has sprung a few surprises. Some of the most celebrated names in world football have finished outside the top ten, underlining just how competitive this year’s race has been.
Vinicius Jr., tipped by many to be a top-five contender after another dazzling season at Real Madrid, finished only in 16th place.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, the 2023 runner-up, found himself down at 26th, while Jude Bellingham, another key figure at Madrid, ranked 23rd.
Scott McTominay’s inclusion at 18th highlights his breakout influence for Napoli, while young Portuguese midfielder João Neves of Paris Saint-Germain earned a respectable 19th spot.
Men’s Ballon d’Or Rankings (confirmed list)
1st –
2nd –
3rd –
4th –
5th –
6th –
7th –
8th –
9th –
10th –
11th –
12th – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG, Georgia)
13th – Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)
14th – Désiré Doué (PSG, France)
15th – Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting Lisbon/Arsenal, Sweden)
16th – Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid, Brazil)
17th – Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona, Poland)
18th – Scott McTominay (Manchester United, Scotland)
19th – João Neves (PSG, Portugal)
20th – Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan, Argentina)
21st – Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund, Guinea)
22nd – Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool, Argentina)
23rd – Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England)
24th – Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain, Spain)
25th – Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan, Netherlands)
26th – Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
27th – Declan Rice (Arsenal, England)
28th – Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands)
29th – Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
30th – Michael Olise (Bayern Munich, France)
Women’s Ballon d’Or Rankings
The women’s ranking has also brought its fair share of intrigue, with several big names falling just short of the top ten.
Barcelona forward Claudia Pina finished just outside the top ten in 11th, while Brazilian icon Marta proved her enduring class by placing 12th. Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona) and Zambia’s Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride) also featured prominently in the mid-table rankings.
The women’s list once again reflects the global spread of talent, with players from Europe, Africa, the Americas, and beyond making the final cut.
Below is the official women’s ranking:
1st –
2nd –
3rd –
4th –
5th –
6th –
7th –
8th –
9th –
10th –
11th – Claudia Pina (Barcelona, Spain)
12th – Marta (Orlando Pride, Brazil)
13th – Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona, Norway)
14th – Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride, Zambia)
15th – Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea, France)
16th – Cristiana Girelli (Juventus, Italy)
17th – Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current, Malawi)
18th – Melchie Dumornay (Lyon, Haiti)
19th – Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich, Germany)
20th – Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich, Denmark)
21st – Amanda Gutiérrez (Palmeiras, Brazil)
22nd – Esther González (Gotham FC, Spain)
23rd – Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea, Sweden)
24th – Sofia Cantore (Juventus/Washington Spirit, Italy)
25th – Emily Fox (Arsenal, USA)
26th – Lindsey Heaps (Lyon, USA)
27th – Clara Mateo (Paris FC, France)
28th – Frida Leonhardsen Maanum (Arsenal, Norway)
29th – Steph Catley (Arsenal, Australia)
30th – Caroline Weir (Real Madrid, Scotland)
More to come…
© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]