During the 2008-2023 period, the race for the Ballon d'Or mainly revolved around the story between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. While Leo had the honor of reaching the top 8 times, CR7 was only behind his Argentine rival with 3 fewer titles.
In the rare years when both of the above superstars unexpectedly "fall from the stage", the race is not too difficult to predict because there are only about 2 or at most 3 faces capable of competing for the noble individual title.
In 2018, Luka Modric won overwhelmingly thanks to his superb performance for both Real Madrid (winning the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup) and the Croatian national team (reaching the World Cup final). In 2007, Kaka received a much higher number of votes than the runner-up, Ronaldo.
But since Ronaldo and Messi have both left the spotlight, the Ballon d'Or race has become more unpredictable. Last year, Rodri was unexpectedly named after beating Vinicius Jr. with no small amount of controversy.
The 29-year-old midfielder has been consistent, helping Man City successfully defend their Premier League title and helping Spain win Euro 2024. However, the Brazilian attacking star has shone on the journey to help Real Madrid win the La Liga and Champions League double.
However, the race is still centered around two faces who have proven to be dominant. This year, the race promises to be much more unpredictable. In the list of 30 candidates recently nominated by France Football magazine, no name appears to be overwhelming compared to the rest.
If anything, Ousmane Dembele, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Kylian Mbbappe and Mohamed Salah are slightly better. Of course, none of the above faces meet all 3 criteria set by France Football to break away from the race. Therefore, the jury responsible for weighing the scales will have to work and consider carefully before deciding to vote.
Before the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Dembele was considered the strongest candidate. However, the lackluster performance with PSG in the final against Chelsea (lost 0-3) caused the 28-year-old star to lose some points. Some even said that Cole Palmer could create a surprise at the gala night in Paris thanks to his contribution of 37 goals for Chelsea in the 2024/25 season, including a double against PSG, helping The Blues reach the top of the world for the second time.
But overall, Cole Palmer may still have a hard time reaching the podium. The prestigious individual title is likely to be a competition between only 3 names: Dembele, Yamal and Raphinha. Of which, the first 2 stars will easily win the 2 highest positions.
At the age of 18, Yamal has just had an explosive season with Barcelona. The teenage talent scored 18 goals, 22 assists in 55 matches, contributing greatly to the domestic treble of the Camp Nou team. On the international level, Yamal has also played an irreplaceable role in helping Spain win Euro 2024 and become runner-up in the 2025 Nations League.
For his part, Dembele has just won a holy quadruple with PSG, winning 3 domestic championships and the Champions League. The achievement of reaching the final of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 with the destructive performance of the Paris giants is also considered another bright spot for the 28-year-old winger.
Yamal still has a very long and bright future ahead of him. Dembele, on the other hand, doesn’t have that much time left. So it wouldn’t be surprising if France Football chose their compatriot for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/du-doan-ngoi-sao-gianh-qua-bong-vang-2025-cuoc-chien-cua-yamal-raphinha-va-dembele-159588.html
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