The Ballon d'Or ceremony returns to Paris on [date] to honour the best footballers of the 2024-25 season. Last year's winner Rodri will be replaced by a new recipient, with Ousmane Dembele emerging as the favourite after leading Paris Saint-Germain to Champions League glory. The event, starting at 7pm GMT, will also recognise top goalkeepers, young players, scorers and coaches.
Dembele's stellar performances following Kylian Mbappe's departure to Real Madrid have made him the frontrunner. However, competition is fierce, with Lamine Yamal, Mohamed Salah, Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Cole Palmer among the nominees. The men's shortlist also includes Raphinha, Viktor Gyokeres, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Scott McTominay, Michael Olise, Declan Rice, Virgil van Dijk, Florian Wirtz, Alexis Mac Allister and Mbappe.
In the women's category, Arsenal and Lionesses star Alessia Russo is nominated after winning the Champions League and Euro 2025. She faces Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati, among others. The ceremony will be streamed for free on L'Equipe's YouTube channel and website, and Standard Sport will provide a live blog for real-time updates.
