Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - as it happened

As Ousmane Dembele lifts the trophy, we will bring this to a close. Thanks very much for joining us for this one and congratulations to all the winners. Good night!

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Dembele wins the Men's Ballon d'Or!

Ronaldinho heightens the suspense. He opens the envelope. He takes a deep breath. And the winner of the 2025 Ballon d'Or is… Ousmane Dembele!

Attention! The moment of the night has arrived. The top ten of the men's Ballon d'Or has been revealed:

3. Vitinha

4. Mohamed Salah

5. Raphinha

6. Achraf Hakimi

7. Kylian Mbappe

8. Cole Palmer

9. Gianluigi Donnarumma

10. Nuno Mendes

The winner will be either Ousmane Dembele or Lamine Yamal. The suspense is palpable—what a thrilling climax to the evening!

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Bonmati wins the Women's Ballon d'Or!

The Spanish national team international and Barcelona star wins this prize again for the third year in a row. Congratulations, Aitana!

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Time now to announce the Ballon d'Or winners!

Ladies and gentlemen, stop what you are doing—the highlight of the evening has arrived: the presentation of the Ballon d'Or awards.

A dazzling musical spectacle, complete with lights and sound, sets the stage for the unveiling of the two coveted trophies. The women's category will be announced first, with Andres Iniesta now stepping onto the stage.

With the rest of the top ten positions already revealed, only Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati remain in contention. The award will go to one of them, and for the fifth consecutive year, a Spanish player is poised to lift the trophy.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - The Xana Foundation wins the 2025 Socrates Award

One of the most touching moments of the evening arrives with the presentation of the Socrates Trophy, an award that recognises humanitarian work through football.

This year, the honour goes to the Xana Foundation, which supports young children with serious illnesses. The award is accepted by Sira Martinez, ambassador for the foundation, daughter of Luis Enrique, and sister of little Xana, after whom this beautiful charity project is named.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Next up are the trophies for the best club of the year!

DJ Snake and the legendary Javier Pastore took to the stage to announce the award for the best women's club of the year. The honour went to Arsenal, victorious in the Champions League final against Barcelona.

After the break, it is time to present the award for the best men's club of the year. PSG, boasting five titles including the Champions League, triumph over Barcelona, Botafogo, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Pajor and Gyokeres win Gerd Muller Trophy

The moment has arrived to honour the season's most prolific scorers for club and country. The Gerd Muller Trophy goes to Barcelona and Polish player Ewa Pajor and Viktor Gyokeres, who achieved his feat with Sporting Lisbon and the Swedish national team.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Remembering Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva

The emotional heart of the evening arrives. A video tribute honours Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who sadly passed away last July. The room is filled with emotion, and a few tears are shed—an unforgettable, moving moment.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - And now, the moment for the Yashin Trophy has arrived!

And now, all eyes turn to the Yashin Trophy—the prize that crowns the world's finest goalkeeper. Who will rise to claim this ultimate accolade between the posts?

Hannah Hampton is crowned the best female goalkeeper, while Gianluigi Donnarumma takes the honours in the men's category—two shot-stoppers whose brilliance between the posts has defined the season.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - It's now time to present the Johan Cruyff trophies!

The moment has arrived to honour the masterminds behind the game. The Johan Cruyff Trophy, celebrating the finest male and female coaches, is about to be presented—recognising vision, strategy and the art of leadership that shapes football at the highest level.

Sarina Wiegman takes home the award in the women's category, while Luis Enrique claims the men's prize—two tacticians whose vision and leadership have left an indelible mark on the game.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - We're going straight now for the Kopa Trophy!

The Kopa Trophy continues to be awarded, this time recognising women's football. Vicky Lopez takes the honour—congratulations to her!

The evening got off to a stylish start, with Barcelona's Lamine Yamal taking home the Kopa Trophy for the best young male player.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - The gala begins!

At 21.00 CET sharp, the 2025 Ballon d'Or gala is underway. The evening opens with a musical performance by Charlotte Cardin as the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris is packed to the rafters with football's biggest names!

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Let's review the 2024 awards!

In the meantime, let's take a look back at the 2024 edition of the Ballon d'Or, which saw a strong presence of Spanish players and representatives from La Liga. Here are the winners of the various awards:

Men's Ballon d'Or: Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)

Women's Ballon d'Or: Aitana Bonmati (Spain, Barcelona)

Kopa Trophy: Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

Yashin Trophy: Emiliano Martinez (Argentina, Aston Villa)

Men's Coach of the Year: Carlo Ancelotti (Italy, Real Madrid)

Women's Coach of the Year: Emma Hayes (England, Chelsea / United States national team)

Men's Club of the Year: Real Madrid

Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Gerd Muller Trophy: Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich) and Kylian Mbappe (France, Paris Saint-Germain / Real Madrid)

Socrates Award: Jenni Hermoso (Spain, Tigres UANL)

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - The stars begin to arrive

The first stars are making their entrance. The red carpet at the Theatre du Chatelet is alive with the arrival of guests for this landmark night in world football. The opening speeches are set to begin shortly!

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - The countdown to the winner begins

11. Pedri

And the eleventh player is revealed! It's another Spaniard: Pedri Gonzalez. The Tenerife native, absent from last year's nominees, finds himself just outside the top ten.

The Barcelona midfielder has enjoyed a sensational season, developing by leaps and bounds to become a driving force for both his club and the Spanish national team. At just 22, he boasts an impressive career, with seven titles and numerous individual awards, and has already played over 200 official matches in the Barcelona jersey.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Colombian singer Blessd opens the gala

On Monday, Colombian singer Blessd will make history as the first Latin American artist to open the 69th Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, the annual event that brings together the biggest names in world football at the Theatre du Chatelet.

The 25-year-old urban artist will kick off the gala with a performance of his hit "Condenado al éxito II" (Condemned to Success II) in front of nearly 2,000 guests, including players, coaches and sporting officials.

"Representing Latinos, my country, and all dreamers at the Ballon d'Or is not only an honour, it is a dream come true," said the singer, whose real name is Stiven Mesa Londono, in a statement released by his record label.

Beyond his musical career, Blessd has also ventured into sport, becoming one of the youngest owners of professional clubs in Europe, with investments in Vendsyssel FF in Denmark and Conquense in Spain.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - The 11 names yet to be revealed

The official Ballon d'Or ranking pauses at 12th place. In other words, only 11 names remain, likely to be unveiled at the start of the gala. These are the contenders still to be announced:

- Ousmane Dembele

- Gianluigi Donnarumma

- Achraf Hakimi

- Kylian Mbappe

- Nuno Mendes

- Cole Palmer

- Pedri

- Raphinha

- Mohamed Salah

- Vitinha

- Lamine Yamal

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - The ranking of the 30 nominees begins!

The official Ballon d'Or account on X, formerly known as Twitter, has begun announcing the ranking of the 30 nominees to win the Men's Ballon d'Or 2025:

12. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

One more name before we reach the top ten: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia takes 12th place following an exceptional season at PSG. Arriving in the winter transfer window, he started 28 matches, contributing 8 goals and 7 assists.

13. Harry Kane

Thirteenth place goes to Harry Kane. The Bayern Munich striker remains a ruthless predator inside the box, scoring 41 goals in 51 appearances last season.

Decisive for both club and country, he finally ended his long wait for silverware—winning the Bundesliga and the German Super Cup. Though he fell short in the European Championship, reaching only the final, his prolific form underlined his enduring class.

14. Desire Doue

Desire Doue takes 14th place. Absent from the last edition, he now finds himself in the upper half of the ranking. Undoubtedly one of European football's revelations, he has earned a regular starting role under Luis Enrique at PSG.

At just 20 years of age, he has already made 65 appearances for the Parisians, scoring 16 goals—his dribbling ability standing out as his greatest strength.

15. Viktor Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres makes his debut among the Ballon d'Or nominees, and with good reason: he scored an astonishing 54 goals in 52 matches for Sporting Lisbon. Having now left the Lisbon club, he joins Arsenal after an extraordinary spell in Portugal, where he amassed 102 goals in just 97 official appearances.

16. Vinicius Junior

Watch out—this could be one of the shocks of the gala. Vinicius Junior, runner-up in last year's edition, has slipped to 16th place, a drop of 14 spots. It has been a largely subdued year for Madrid's number seven, who has struggled to retain his decisive edge: he finished with 22 goals and 16 assists.

17. Robert Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski has forced his way back into the nominees this season, securing 17th place. Absent from last year's edition, the Polish striker returned in style, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup with Barcelona, while netting 42 goals—his best campaign as a cule.

18. Scott McTominay

It was an outstanding season for Scotland international Scott McTominay, one of the driving forces behind the Scudetto triumph. He featured in 36 matches, contributing 13 goals and 4 assists—his best return since turning professional.

19. Joao Neves

One of the revelations of the 2024/25 season, he flourished under Luis Enrique, who managed to draw the very best from a player barely 20 years of age. He secured his spot in the starting eleven and proved instrumental in guiding his side to Champions League glory.

20. Lautaro Martinez

Lautaro Martinez takes 20th place. It marks a setback for El Toro, who falls 13 spots from his seventh-place finish in last year's edition. A Champions League finalist, he found the net in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals, while his 24 goals once again spearheaded his team's attack.

21. Serhou Guirassy

Serhou Guirassy claims 21st place. The African striker enjoyed a remarkable season, having not even featured in the top 30 last year. He struck 38 goals for Borussia Dortmund, a campaign that firmly announced his arrival among Europe's elite forwards.

22. Alexis Mac Allister

Alexis Mac Allister takes 22nd place. He claimed the Premier League title with Liverpool and lifted the Copa America with Argentina. Over the season, he featured in 49 matches, starting 40 of them.

23. Jude Bellingham

Another standout on the European scene is Jude Bellingham, who ranks 23rd. The England international was a Euro Cup finalist and one of the key figures in Gareth Southgate's side.

While his season at Madrid did not quite match the brilliance of his debut, particularly in terms of goals, he still managed 15 strikes and 14 assists, remaining a mainstay under Ancelotti and a crucial orchestrator of the Merengues' play.

24. Fabian Ruiz

Fabian Ruiz takes 24th place. Last year, he did not feature among the 30 nominees, making his rise all the more remarkable. He has become a driving force in midfield for both PSG and the Spanish national team, and boasts an impressive collection of titles, including the European Championship, the Champions League, Ligue 1 and the European Super Cup.

25. Denzel Dumfries

Denzel Dumfries claims twenty-fifth position. A mainstay on Inter Milan's right flank, he was instrumental in the team's run to the Champions League final, particularly in the second leg against Barcelona. Now in his fifth season with the Nerazzurri, he has amassed 184 appearances and 23 goals.

26. Erling Haaland

Although perhaps anticipated, it remains surprising to see Erling Haaland so far down the list. Last year, he finished fifth, yet now he occupies 26th place. Manchester City's disappointing season has certainly played its part, but so too has his own form; despite netting 34 goals, it was his lowest tally since joining the club.

27. Declan Rice

Seventy-seventh place goes to Declan Rice. The England international and mainstay in Arsenal's midfield featured in 52 matches last season, scoring nine goals and providing ten assists—his best figures since turning professional.

His two stunning free-kicks against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals will be remembered for years to come.

28. Virgil van Dijk

Number 28 is awarded to Virgil van Dijk. The Dutch international is now a familiar presence on these lists, having firmly established himself as one of the finest centre-backs in the world after marshalling Liverpool's rock-solid defence.

29. Florian Wirtz

The next name to emerge is Florian Wirtz. Liverpool's second most expensive signing this summer has earned a place on the list following a brilliant season at Bayer Leverkusen, where he netted 16 goals and provided 14 assists, cementing his status as one of the most gifted players in the game today.

30. Michael Olise

The first name to be revealed is Michael Olise, who takes up the final spot in the ranking. Even so, the Frenchman enjoyed an outstanding season in his debut with Bayern Munich, registering 20 goals and 20 assists.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - The race for the Women's Ballon d'Or 2025 starts

The official Ballon d'Or account has unveiled the first names in the ranking—this time for the women's category. Here are the players, listed in ascending order from 30 to 11:

30. Caroline Weir

29. Steph Catley

28. Frida Leonhardsen Maanum

27. Clara Mateo

26. Lindsey Horan Heaps

25. Emily Fox

24. Sofia Cantore

23. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd

22. Esther Gonzalez

21. Amanda Gutierres

20. Pernille Harder

19. Klara Buhl

18. Melchie Dumornay

17. Temwa Chawinga

16. Cristiana Girelli

15. Sandy Baltimore

14. Barbra Banda

13. Caroline Graham Hansen

12. Marta

11. Claudia Pina

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Real Madrid to snub Ballon d'Or gala for second year in protest

According to Spanish outlet AS, Real Madrid are reportedly set to boycott the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris for the second consecutive year, with tensions between the club and the organisers still unresolved after last year's controversy.

According to AS, the rift has "not healed" since 2024, when Vinicius Junior was widely considered the frontrunner yet lost out to Manchester City star Rodri.

The perceived injustice has left a bitter taste at the Bernabeu, with Madrid's hierarchy opting to leave their seats empty at the Theatre du Chatelet on Monday evening.

The boycott underlines the depth of Madrid's frustration with France Football, sending a strong message on the club's stance regarding fairness and recognition. For the second year in a row, one of the world's most decorated clubs will be absent from football's glitziest awards night.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Where and when will the Ballon d'Or gala be held?

The Ballon d'Or gala will be held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, with proceedings commencing at 17:00 CET. The ultimate winner of the Ballon d'Or will be revealed at 21:00 CET.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Who votes and what are the official criteria?

Although the criteria of the voting panel tend to generate controversy in each edition as to which items each ballot paper follows, here is UEFA's official explanation of what each judge must adhere to when making their assessment:

1) Individual performances, decisiveness and impact

2) Team performances and achievements

3) Class and fair play

The Ballon d'Or organisers decided to innovate this year by keeping the winner's identity a secret until the very end, to avoid any leaks to the press. In previous years, the winner was revealed a few days before the award ceremony. The prize is awarded by a jury of journalists representing the top 100 nations in the FIFA rankings.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Who are the frontrunners to claim the award?

The Ballon d'Or is now voted for based on achievements during the last season, rather than over a calendar year as in the past.

Other notable nominees include Viktor Gyokeres, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, and the key duo from Liverpool's 2024/25 Premier League triumph, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are on the list too, a year after Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony, outraged that the latter had been overlooked for the prize.

The Ballon d'Or is voted for by a panel of journalists, one from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA world rankings. It is the top 50 for the women, in which the field appears wide open as Barcelona and Spain star Bonmati goes for a treble.

Bonmati, 27, is an exceptional talent and was named player of the tournament at the UEFA Women's Euro in July. Yet Spain lost the final of that tournament on penalties to England, and Bonmati's Barcelona also lost the Champions League final to Arsenal in May.

What may work either in her favour, or that of teammate and two-time former winner Alexia Putellas, is that there is no obvious standout from the England team that triumphed at the Euros.

Lucy Bronze, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, Alessia Russo and captain Leah Williamson are all nominated from that side, as is Chloe Kelly, who scored the decisive penalty in the final.

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - What other prizes are there?

UEFA has published a list of candidates for almost all the awards. It is as follows:

Women's Ballon d'Or 2025 nominees

Sandy Baltimore (France, Chelsea)

Barbra Banda (Zambia, Orlando Pride)

Aitana Bonmati (Spain, Barcelona)

Lucy Bronze (England, Chelsea)

Klara Buhl (Germany, Bayern)

Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Arsenal)

Sofia Cantore (Italy, Juventus/Washington Spirit)

Steph Catley (Australia, Arsenal)

Temwa Chawinga (Malawi, Kansas City)

Melchie Dumornay (Haiti, OL Lyonnes)

Emily Fox (United States, Arsenal)

Cristiana Girelli (Italy, Juventus)

Esther Gonzalez (Spain, Gotham FC)

Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)

Patri Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)

Amanda Gutierres (Brazil, Palmeiras)

Hannah Hampton (England, Chelsea)

Pernille Harder (Denmark, Bayern)

Lindsey Heaps (United States, OL Lyonnes)

Chloe Kelly (England, Manchester City/Arsenal)

Frida Maanum (Norway, Arsenal)

Marta (Brazil, Orlando Pride)

Clara Mateo (France, Paris FC)

Ewa Pajor (Poland, Barcelona)

Claudia Pina (Spain, Barcelona)

Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)

Alessia Russo (England, Arsenal)

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Sweden, Chelsea)

Caroline Weir (Scotland, Real Madrid)

Leah Williamson (England, Arsenal)

Men's Kopa Trophy 2025 nominees

Ayyoub Bouaddi (France, Lille)

Pau Cubarsi (Spain, Barcelona)

Desire Doue (France, Paris Saint-Germain)

Estevao (Brazil, Palmeiras/Chelsea)

Dean Huijsen (Spain, Bournemouth/Real Madrid)

Myles Lewis-Skelly (England, Arsenal)

Rodrigo Mora (Portugal, Porto)

Joao Neves (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)

Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

Kenan Yildiz (Turkey, Juventus)

Women's Kopa Trophy 2025 nominees

Michelle Agyemang (England, Brighton/Arsenal)

Linda Caicedo (Colombia, Real Madrid)

Wieke Kaptein (Netherlands, Chelsea)

Vicky Lopez (Spain, Barcelona)

Claudia Martinez Ovando (Paraguay, Club Olimpia)

Men's Yashin Trophy 2025 nominees

Alisson Becker (Brazil, Liverpool)

Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal)

Lucas Chevalier (France, Lille)

Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, Real Madrid)

Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)

Emiliano Martinez (Argentina, Aston Villa)

Jan Oblak (Slovenia, Atletico Madrid)

David Raya (Spain, Arsenal)

Matz Sels (Belgium, Nottingham Forest)

Yann Sommer (Switzerland, Inter)

Women's Yashin Trophy 2025 nominees

Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany, Gotham FC)

Cata Coll (Spain, Barcelona)

Hannah Hampton (England, Chelsea)

Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC/Brighton)

Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands, Arsenal)

Men's Johan Cruyff Trophy 2025 nominees

Antonio Conte (Italy, Napoli)

Luis Enrique (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)

Hansi Flick (Germany, Barcelona)

Enzo Maresca (Italy, Chelsea)

Arne Slot (Netherlands, Liverpool)

Women's Johan Cruyff Trophy 2025 nominees

Sonia Bompastor (France, Chelsea)

Arthur Elias (Brazil, Brazil national team)

Justine Madugu (Nigeria, Nigeria national team)

Renee Slegers (Netherlands, Arsenal)

Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands, England national team)

Men's Club of the Year Trophy 2025 nominees

Barcelona (Spain)

Botafogo (Brazil)

Chelsea (England)

Liverpool (England)

Paris Saint-Germain (France)

Women's Club of the Year Trophy 2025 nominees

Arsenal (England)

Barcelona (Spain)

Chelsea (England)

OL Lyonnes (France)

Orlando Pride (United States)

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - Who's nominated for the men's prize?

The men's shortlist for the 2024/25 edition of the prestigious individual award marks the second time since 2003 that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo features—players who between them, have claimed the prize 13 times.

We now turn our attention to the 30 contenders vying for the Men's Ballon d'Or 2025:

Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)

Ousmane Dembele (France, PSG)

Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, PSG/Manchester City)

Desire Doue (France, PSG)

Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands, Inter)

Serhou Guirassy (Guinea, Borussia Dortmund)

Viktor Gyokeres (Sweden, Sporting Lisbon/Arsenal)

Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)

Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, PSG)

Harry Kane (England, Bayern)

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, Napoli/PSG)

Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Barcelona)

Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina, Liverpool)

Lautaro Martinez (Argentina, Inter)

Kylian Mbappe (France, Real Madrid)

Scott McTominay (Scotland, Napoli)

Nuno Mendes (Portugal, PSG)

Joao Neves (Portugal, PSG)

Michael Olise (France, Bayern)

Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea)

Pedri (Spain, Barcelona)

Raphinha (Brazil, Barcelona)

Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)

Fabian Ruiz (Spain, PSG)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool)

Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool)

Vinicius Junior (Brazil, Real Madrid)

Vitinha (Portugal, PSG)

Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen/Liverpool)

Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony - The countdown begins!

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris! Who will win the main prize? We take a closer look at the key elements of this prestigious individual award and its nominees.

The world of football will gather for a glitzy ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris to discover who will be the next winners of an award dominated for so long by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. That duo won the Ballon d'Or 13 times between them from 2008 to 2023.

The award, the most prestigious individual prize in football, went last year to Manchester City midfielder Rodri after he captained Spain to Euro 2024 glory.

With Rodri not a contender this year after he suffered an injury-hit campaign last season, 28-year-old Dembele has emerged as the favourite from a list of nominees dominated by Champions League winners PSG.

Nine members of the PSG team that won the European crown for the first time in a dazzling 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan feature among the 30 nominees.

Alongside Dembele are Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha, as well as goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has since moved to Manchester City.

But Dembele would appear to have the edge after a magnificent season in which he filled the void left in Paris by the departed Kylian Mbappe, scoring 35 goals.

That contribution helped PSG also to complete a domestic clean sweep and also reach the final of the Club World Cup. It was a spectacular campaign for the French club and an even more extraordinary one for Dembele, the winger turned centre-forward.

Lamine Yamal, still just 18, stands out among the other nominees, having emerged as a superstar on the wing at Barcelona, where he is seen as the successor to Messi.

He won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 at last year's Ballon d'Or gala, fresh from having helped Spain to European Championship glory.