By Gariba Raubil,Samuel Obour
Copyright yen
Kylian Mbappe says he will skip the 2025 Ballon d’Or gala despite scoring 44 goals in his debut season at Real MadridPSG star Ousmane Dembele leads the race after firing his side to a treble and topping the latest Ballon d’Or power rankingsBarcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal is also in contention after inspiring the Blaugrana to a domestic treble
Kylian Mbappe has confirmed that he will not be part of the audience when football’s most prestigious individual honour is handed out on September 22.
Despite netting 44 goals in all competitions and finishing as La Liga’s leading scorer, the Frenchman admits his lack of trophies with Madrid this term makes him an outsider for the 2025 award.
Attention has instead shifted to other standout performers across Europe, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal widely regarded as the two main contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Why Mbappe will miss Ballon d’Or 2025 gala
The Real Madrid striker, who delivered a phenomenal debut season in Spain, revealed to CBS Sports that he would rather watch the Ballon d’Or ceremony from home.
Mbappe was honest to admit his chances of claiming the award are slim, as he shifts his support to his close friend Dembele, expressing that he would be delighted to see the PSG forward take home the 2025 Ballon d’Or while he follows the ceremony from his television.
Who will win 2025 Ballon d’Or?
According to GiveMeSport, Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele is currently the frontrunner for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, topping the power rankings as of September 16, 2025.
The winger racked up 35 goals and 16 assists, leading PSG to a historic treble before adding the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham. Their only blemish came in the Club World Cup final, where Chelsea proved too strong.
Meanwhile, Barcelona duo Lamine Yamal and Raphinha also boosted their chances by driving the Catalans to a domestic treble, but despite their success, Dembele’s dominance on both the European and domestic stage makes him the clear favourite heading into the Paris gala.
Take a look at the latest Ballon d’Or top 10 power rankings.
1. Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain)
2. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
3. Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)
4. Raphinha (Barcelona)
5. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
6. Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain)
7. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain)
8. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
9. Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain)
10. Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Why Dembele can win 2025 Ballon d’Or
In an earlier report, YEN.com.gh outlined three key factors that make Ousmane Dembele one of the standout candidates for this year’s Ballon d’Or, following the release of the official shortlist on Thursday, August 7.
The French winger’s decisive contributions in both domestic and European competitions have cemented his status as a central figure in PSG’s dominance and placed him firmly in the spotlight ahead of the 2025 Ballon d’Or gala.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
