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Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal and Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah have been included in the final set of 10 nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The event is set to be held on Monday, September 22, 2025, at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris, France.
On August 7, France Football released the list of 30 nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The final 10 names in the list include Michael Olise, Raphinha, Declan Rice, Fabian Ruiz, Mohamed Salah, Vinicius Jr, Virgil van Dijk, Lamine Yamal, Vitinha, and Florian Wirtz.
Some of the notable names in the list include Barcelona forwards Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, who are expected to rank high on the final list for the coveted individual award. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain star Vitinha and Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah are also among the contenders after their respective stellar seasons.
Lamine Yamal and Raphinha are among the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or following their exceptional season with Barcelona. The Catalans won every competition they took part in, except the UEFA Champions League.
Teenage superstar Lamine Yamal was key to their success, with 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 outings across competitions. Meanwhile, Raphinha boasts even better numbers, with 34 goals and 25 assists in 57 outings across tournaments. Both Barcelona stars are expected to rank within the top 10 in the Ballon d'Or list.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah is another major contender owing to his stellar individual performances throughout last season. The Egypt international led Liverpool to the Premier League last season, with 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 outings across competitions.
Finally, Vitinha also remains an important contender, having won both club and international titles this season. He was a major contributor to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) winning the treble this season, including the UCL, Ligue 1, and Coupe de France. He also led Portugal to the UEFA Nations League.
When Mohamed Salah claimed his desire to win the Ballon d'Or urged him to work harder
Salah - Source: Getty" srcset="https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/08/5978d-17545749402122-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/08/5978d-17545749402122-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/08/5978d-17545749402122-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/08/5978d-17545749402122-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/08/5978d-17545749402122-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/08/5978d-17545749402122-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/08/5978d-17545749402122-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/08/5978d-17545749402122-1920.jpg 1920w">
Salah - Source: Getty
In an interview with Gary Neville on Sky Sports earlier this year, Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah shared his desire to win the Ballon d'Or one day. The Egyptian said the urge to lift the coveted award has made him work harder.
"It used to drive me crazy before. Some stuff is not in your hands so you give up in that direction. When you go to work you remind yourself what you want to achieve in the season so it drives you to work harder. I'd love to win it one day. But if it didn't happen, I don't know what to do. I'm sure there's a good chance to win it this year, but we'll see," Salah said.
While Salah has a decent chance of winning the award this year, he could face tough competition from the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Lamine Yamal, and Vitinha. The Reds legend has crunched up excellent numbers this season, but only won the Premier League last season, compared to other contenders who have won the international or domestic treble.
Last year, Manchester City ace Rodri lifted the award after winning the Premier League and leading Spain to the 2024 Euros.
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Pratyasha Sarkar
Pratyasha is a Pop Culture and a European Football writer for Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and has over 3 years of experience in the pop culture industry. Throughout her career, Pratyasha has always emphasized detailed background checks, and believes in verifying all information regardless of how correct it may seem.
Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his dedication and humility. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray's cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she's a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone.
When Pratyasha's off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.
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