French forward Ousmane Dembele and Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma lead a stacked list of nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or released on Thursday, Afrosport reports.
Organisers of the prestigious award announced nominees across five categories in both the men’s and women’s section, with the winners to be unveiled at a star-studded ceremony slated for Monday, 22 September, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.
Dembele and Donnarumma will battle 28 other football stars for the men’s Ballon d’Or award after leading Paris Saint-Germain to four titles last season, including the French Ligue 1 and Champions League. PSG lead the nominations with nine players, while other notable faces up for the honour include Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.
Here are the 2025 Ballon d’Or nominees!#ballondor pic.twitter.com/tehmbU4R0j
— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) August 7, 2025
On the women’s side, reigning Ballon d’Or Feminin winner Aitana Bonmati will face stern competition from the likes of Leah Williamson, Alessia Russo, Sandy Baltimore, Mariona Caldentey, Marta, Caroline Weir and Chloe Kelly.
Meanwhile, five of the best tactical minds in world football have been nominated for the Men’s Team Coach of the Year Trophy. Enzo Maresa, who led Chelsea to Club World Cup glory, is up against Luis Enrique, Antonio Conte, Hansi Flick and Arne Slot.
Also, the accolade for the Women’s Team Coach of the Year Trophy is up for grabs, with Euro-2025 winning coach Sarina Weigman nominated alongside Sonia Bompastor, Arthur Elias, Justine Madugu and Renee Slegers.
Ten youngsters will battle for the 2025 Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best U-21 men’s footballer in the world. Spain and Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal will face stern competition from the Paris Saint-Germain duo of Joao Neves and Desire Doue, with the likes of Estevao, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Dean Huijsen also up for the award.
Here are our 2025 Kopa Trophy nominees! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/N9SqGPrhmH
— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) August 7, 2025
Likewise, up for the 2025 Women’s Kopa Trophy, given to the best U-21 female footballer in the world are: Arsenal and England teenager Michelle Agyemang, Linda Caicedo, Wieke Kaptein, Vicky Lopez and Claudia Martinez Ovando.
Furthermore, the award for the Men’s Club of the Year will go to one of Barcelona, Botafogo, Chelsea, Liverpool or Paris Saint-Germain. In the women’s category, European champions Arsenal are up against Barcelona, Chelsea, OL Lyonnes and Orlando Pride.
Full nominees list for 2025 ballon d’Or
Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees
Achraf Hakimi
Pedri
Nuno Mendes
Serhou Guirassy
Alexis Mac Allister
Raphinha
Viktor Gyokeres
Desire Doue
Denzel Dumfries
Scott McTominay
Ousmane Dembele
Erling Haaland
Joao Neves
Jude Bellingham
Robert Lewandowski
Mohamed Salah
Cole Palmer
Fabian Ruiz
Vinicius Junior
Declan Rice
Vitinha
Kylian Mbappe
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Michael Olise
Florian Wirtz
Lamine Yamal
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Harry Kane
Virgil Van Dijk
Women’s Ballon d’Or nominees
Leah Williamson
Melchie Dumornay
Pernille Harder
Claudia Pina
Cristiana Girelli
Alexia Putellas
Hannah Hampton
Barbra Banda
Emily Fox
Clara Mateo
Lucy Bronze
Temwa Chawinga
Patri Guijarro
Lindsey Heaps
Steph Catley
Aitana Bonmati
Chloe Kelly
Sandy Baltimore
Freda Leonhardsen-Maanum
Caroline Weir
Alessia Russo
Amanda Gutierres
Ewa Pajor
Esther Gonzalez
Klara Buhl
Mariona Caldentey
Caroline Graham Hansen
Marta
Johanna Rytting Keneryd
Sofia Cantore
Kopa Trophy nominees
Ayyoub BouaddiPau Cubarsi
Desire Doue
Estevao
Dean Huijsen
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Rodrigo Mora
Joao Neves
Lamine Yamal
Kenan Yildiz
Women’s Kopa Trophy nominees
Michelle Agyemang
Linda Caicedo
Wieke Kaptein
Vicky Lopez
Claudia Martinez Ovando
Men’s Club of the Year nominees
Barcelona
Botafogo
Chelsea
Liverpool
Paris Saint-Germain
Women’s Club of the Year nominees
Arsenal
Barcelona
Chelsea
OL Lyonnes
Orlando Pride
