During the 2024-25 season, Paris Saint-Germain dominated, winning the UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and the Trophee des Champions, marking a historic run. With that, Ousmane Dembele emerged as a top contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, driven by his outstanding contributions to his team success. However, the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 might alter things, with Lamine Yamal rising in popularity and Kylian Mbappe falling out of favor.
The evaluation period for the 2025 Ballon d’Or spans from August 2024 to July 2025, making the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 a pivotal stage for players to showcase their talent. Many expected Ousmane to use this stage to cement his lead in the race for the award. However, he played only four games and scored just two goals, allowing Desire Doue to emerge as a key player for PSG in his stead.
Furthermore, Fabrizio Romano referenced a L’Equipe poll conducted in March 2025, which showed Ousmane Dembele as the leading contender for the Ballon d’Or with 40.95% of the votes. Lamine was in third place with 8.8%, closely followed by Kylian Mbappe at 8%. However, a recent TNT Sports poll revealed significant shifts in these rankings, indicating a tighter race for the coveted award.
2025 Ballon d’Or race: Who is the reportedly leading favorite right now?
According to TNT Sports, the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 has become a pivotal event influencing the rankings for the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Ousmane Dembele has notably slipped to fourth place due to his minimal impact in the tournament. Furthermore, his underwhelming performance for France in the UEFA Nations League has considerably diminished his favoritism in the race for the prestigious award.
Ousmane Dembele #10 of Paris Saint-Germain reacts following the team’s victory in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarter-final match.
The rankings also feature a surprising turn with Cole Palmer climbing to third place. His outstanding contributions to Chelsea, culminating in triumphs at both the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and the UEFA Conference League, have bolstered his position. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe has slipped to tenth. Currently leading the pack is Lamine Yamal. At just 18, he finished the season with an impressive 18 goals and 21 assists, making him the favorite for the award.
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2025 Ballon d’Or updated power ranking according to TNT Sports
| Power rank | Player | Current team |
| 1 | Lamine Yamal | FC Barcelona |
| 2 | Vitinha | PSG |
| 3 | Cole Palmer | Chelsea |
| 4 | Ousmane Dembele | PSG |
| 5 | Raphinha | FC Barcelona |
| 6 | Nuno Mendes | PSG |
| 7 | Achraf Hakimi | PSG |
| 8 | Mohammed Salah | Liverpool |
| 9 | Gianluigi Donnarumma | PSG |
| 10 | Kylian Mbappe | Real Madrid |
