Cristiano Ronaldo Jr is already training with Portugal under-15 squad
Cristiano Ronaldo Jr trained with Portugal’s Under-15 squad on Sunday, May 11, 2025, after being called up to the team for the first time.
Who will win the Ballon d’Or 2025? Will it be Ousmane Dembele, Mohamed Salah, or the young phenom Lamine Yamal? These are just a few of the favorite names expected to make the list for this year’s award. Here’s when, where and what to know about the most coveted soccer award.
This year marks the 69th edition of the Ballon d’Or, football’s most prestigious individual award a player can receive, recognizing talent and outstanding performance on the pitch over the previous season. It is presented annually by France Football since 1956.
The three main criteria for the prestigious award are based on individual performances and impressive character, team performances and achievements, and class and fair play.
The winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or was Rodri of Manchester City. Argentinian Lionel Messi has won the most Ballon d’Or awards with eight total and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has been nominated a record 18 times with five wins. Two-time winner, Brazilian Ronaldo is currently the youngest player to ever have won the award at the age of 21.
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One of this year’s favorites to make the list, Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal is only 17 years old, born July 13, 2007 — a win would make him the youngest player to ever receive the highly coveted Ballon d’Or.
This year’s awards will include: the Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or; Men’s and Women’s Kopa Trophy (best young player); Men’s and Women’s Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper); Men’s and Women’s Gerd Müller Trophy (top scorer in club/national team); Men’s and Women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy (best coach in club/national team); Men’s and Women’s Club of the Year; and Sócrates Award, presented by L’Équipe group and Peace and Sport, for solidarity actions or societal causes carried out by a committed champion; according to UEFA.
Here’s when, where and what to know about this year’s Ballon d’Or event.
When is the Ballon d’Or 2025?
The Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday, Sept. 22, one month earlier compared to last year’s event that took place on Oct. 28, 2024.
Where is the Ballon d’Or 2025 ceremony taking place?
The Ballon d’Or 2025 event will take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.
Who will win the Ballon d’Or 2025?
Nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or will be revealed a month earlier than the event date of Sept. 22, likely to be around early August.
Based on current power rankings, the top 20 contenders may include, but is not limited to these favorites:
- Ousmane Dembele – Paris Saint-Germain
- Lamine Yamal – Barcelona
- Raphinia (Raphael Dias Belloli) – Barcelona
- Mohamed Salah – Liverpool
- Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid
- Desire Doue – Paris Saint-Germain
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Paris Saint-Germain
- Achraf Hakimi – Paris Saint-Germain
- Pedri (Pedro González López) – Barcelona
- Harry Kane – Bayern Munich
- Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona
- Gianluigi Donnarumma – Paris Saint-Germain
- Vitinha – Paris Saint-Germain
- Joao Neves – Paris Saint-Germain
- Viktor Gyokeres – Sporting CP
- Nuno Mendes – Paris Saint-Germain
- Vinicius Jr – Real Madrid
- Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid
- Bradley Barcola – Paris Saint-Germain
- Declan Rice – Arsenal
Who are the previous winners of the Ballon d’Or?
- 2024 – Rodri
- 2023 – Lionel Messi
- 2022 – Karim Benzema
- 2021 – Lionel Messi
- 2019 – Lionel Messi
- 2018 – Luka Modric
- 2017 – Cristiano Ronaldo
- 2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo
- 2015 – Lionel Messi
- 2014 – Cristiano Ronaldo
- 2013 – Cristiano Ronaldo
- 2012 – Lionel Messi
- 2011 – Lionel Messi
- 2010 – Lionel Messi
- 2009 – Lionel Messi
- 2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo
- 2007 – Kaká
- 2006 – Fabio Cannavaro
- 2005 – Ronaldinho
- 2004 Andriy Shevchenko
- 2003 – Pavel Nedvěd
- 2002 – Ronaldo
- 2001 – Michael Owen
- 2000 – Luís Figo
