The Ballon d’Or ceremony is set to attract some of the biggest names in soccer. Among the stars in attendance will be Ousmane Dembele, Lamine Yamal, and numerous other high-profile players as they converge to witness the crowning of Europe’s best player, as reported by France Football magazine.
Notably, Dembele and Yamal, representing PSG and Barcelona respectively, are among the frontrunners to claim the prestigious trophy, an accolade famously dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. As the Ballon d’Or marks its 69th edition in Paris, the competition is fiercer than ever.
Some players, however, are aware they won’t make the top 10. Vinicius Jr., who astonishingly secured second place behind Rodri in last year’s edition, finds himself ranked 16th this time. Similarly, his teammate Jude Bellingham, formerly third, has slipped to 23rd in the rankings.
With neither Ronaldo nor Messi among the nominees, one anticipated attendee, Kylian Mbappe, will instead be tuning into the awards remotely. Despite expectations, Mbappe will not be present to witness the crowning of soccer’s new king in person.
Why are Vitinha and Hakimi absent from the 2025 Ballon d’Or gala?
Vitinha and Achraf Hakimi will miss the 2025 Ballon d’Or gala because they are slated to play for PSG in a pivotal clash against Olympique Marseille. This historic matchup could be crucial for PSG’s quest to maintain their lead in the Ligue 1 standings.
Due to an injury, Dembele has been granted permission to attend the ceremony, bolstering his status as one of the favorites for the award. Accompanying Dembele at the event are PSG teammates Joao Neves and Desire Doue.
With global anticipation building, fans are eager to see who will take home the Ballon d’Or this year. Hakimi and Vitinha, meanwhile, will find out the results shortly after their match concludes.