Stats Of Top Contenders For Men, Women 2025 Ballon d’Or As Award Holds Tonight

Football’s biggest individual prize will be handed out tonight, September 22, in Paris as the Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place at the Théâtre du Châtelet.

From 7 p.m. Nigerian time, the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or winners will be revealed, with the world watching to see who takes home the coveted golden ball.

The shortlist is stacked with talent, but a few names stand out after extraordinary seasons. For the men, Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, and Barcelona’s duo of Raphinha and teenage star Lamine Yamal have strong cases.

Dembele comes into the night as one of the favourites after scoring 35 goals and providing 14 assists in 53 games. He was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year and starred in PSG’s Champions League triumph, where he notched two assists in their 5-0 final win over Inter Milan.

Kane, meanwhile, finally lifted silverware with Bayern and topped the Bundesliga scoring charts with 26 league goals.

Mbappe’s first year at Real Madrid brought fireworks as he claimed the La Liga Golden Boot with 31 goals, while Salah enjoyed another record-breaking campaign. The Liverpool forward netted 34 times, laid on 23 assists, and secured a fourth Premier League Golden Boot, matching Thierry Henry’s record.

Over in Spain, Raphinha delivered 34 goals and 22 assists, helping Barcelona to a domestic treble. His teammate Yamal, just 18 years old, chipped in with 39 goal contributions and is already being hailed as one of football’s brightest prospects.

The women’s race is equally competitive. Aitana Bonmati, who has already lifted the last two Ballons d’Or, could make history with a third straight win.

She recovered from a health scare before the Euros to play a decisive role for Spain and Barcelona. Alexia Putellas, another past winner, remains a strong contender after delivering 27 goal contributions in Barcelona’s treble-winning season.

Arsenal striker Alessia Russo has momentum on her side after winning both the Champions League and Euro 2025, where she scored in the final. She also finished as the Women’s Super League joint-top scorer.

Chelsea’s Lucy Bronze, despite battling a fractured tibia, helped England win the Euros and guided her club to a domestic treble.

Claudia Pina, who finished as the Champions League’s top scorer, and Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey, who won the WSL Player of the Year award, also add spice to the mix.