
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is the clear bookmakers’ favourite to win his first Ballon d’Or when the ceremony takes place on Monday night – although the Champions League winner won’t be there to pick up the prize if he is successful.
The 28-year-old provided 43 goal contributions in 44 Ligue 1 and Champions League games last season, as PSG won both competitions as part of a historic treble that also included the Coupe de France.
However, Dembele will be on duty for PSG in their Ligue 1 game with Marseille on Monday night, after the fixture was pushed back from Sunday due to heavy rain and thunderstorms in the south of France.
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe – who is also nominated for the award – has backed his France international team-mate to win the prize in Paris, telling French broadcaster Telefoot: “If it were up to me, I’d deliver it to his house.”
Barcelona’s teenage superstar Lamine Yamal is Dembele’s closest competition, according to bookmakers.
The 18-year-old was instrumental in his side’s domestic double, notching 18 goals and 25 assists across all competitions, as Barca won LaLiga and the Copa del Rey.
The Spain Euro 2024 winner represents Barca’s best chance at lifting the award for a record 13th time, although team-mate Raphinha is also nominated.
Treble winners PSG provide the bulk of the 30 nominees, with nine of Luis Enrique’s all-conquering side on the shortlist, including Portugal’s Nations League-winning trio of Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves.
The Premier League’s best challenge for this year’s award comes from Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian forward, who won the PFA men’s player of the year prize, was last season’s top Premier League scorer with 29 goals, and he also provided the most assists (18) to help Liverpool win the title.
Last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Rodri was not nominated as the Manchester City midfielder missed most of last season recovering from a knee injury.
There are five British nominees up for the top prize this year, with England’s Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane joined by Scotland’s Scott McTominay on the shortlist.
Napoli midfielder McTominay is the first Scot to be nominated since Ally McCoist in 1987 and would become the second to win the award after Denis Law in 1964.
The 28-year-old was named the best player in Serie A last season as he helped Napoli to win the title. He scored 12 goals and six assists in his debut campaign at the club following a £25.2m move from Manchester United.
WSL stars in women’s Ballon d’Or mix
Following the Lionesses’ Euro success in the summer, five of the winning England squad are nominated for the women’s Ballon d’Or, which will also be awarded on Monday.
Captain Leah Williamson, shoot-out hero Chloe Kelly, and final goalscorer Alessia Russo are among seven Arsenal nominees.
Chelsea duo Lucy Bronze and Hannah Hampton are the other Euro winners in the running. The latter will hope her heroics in the Euros’ final penalty shoot-out victory over Spain will earn her the Women’s Yashin Award for best goalkeeper.
Other WSL hopefuls for the women’s Ballon d’Or include Chelsea’s Sandy Baltimore and WSL Player of the Year Mariona Caldentey of Arsenal.
Barcelona and Spain midfielder and Euro 2025 Player of the Tournament, Aitana Bonmati, is aiming to win the award for a third year running.
Could Wiegman win best women’s coach?
Lionesses’ manager Sarina Wiegman will hope her third consecutive European Championship victory will see her awarded the Women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy for the best coach.
Her trademark decisive substitutions were fundamental to England winning their first tournament on foreign soil in Switzerland.
She faces competition from fellow Dutchwoman Renee Slegers, who guided Arsenal to their second-ever Champions League.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor also has a strong chance to capture the award, as the Frenchwoman steered her side to a domestic treble in her first season.
PSG head coach Luis Enrique will inevitably win the men’s award following the Spaniard’s second career treble.
Elsewhere, Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly is nominated for the Men’s Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best player under the age of 21.
However, he faces competition from PSG duo Desire Doue and Neves, and last year’s winner Yamal.
There is England representation in the women’s category as Euro 2025 Young Player of the Tournament, Michelle Agyemang, could capture another honour.
And in the Men’s Yashin Trophy, two-time winner Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa is nominated alongside new Man City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, Arsenal’s David Raya and Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels.
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