The race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or is heating up, with several players emerging as frontrunners. While it is still early days, the odds have started to take shape, offering us a glimpse of who the bookmakers believe are the most likely candidates to win the prestigious award. Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Karim Benzema currently lead the pack, but there are a host of other players who could challenge for the top spot. Here is a look at the current odds and a closer examination of the contenders.
Haaland has been in sensational form for Manchester City this season, scoring 31 goals in 28 appearances. The Norwegian striker is one of the most prolific goalscorers in the world and is widely regarded as one of the best young players in the game. Mbappe, meanwhile, is another player who has been in excellent form for Paris Saint-Germain this season, scoring 25 goals in 29 appearances. The French forward is one of the most exciting players to watch in world football and is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world. Benzema, meanwhile, is the reigning Ballon d’Or winner and has been in excellent form for Real Madrid this season, scoring 23 goals in 29 appearances. The French striker is one of the most experienced and decorated players in the world and is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the game.
There are a number of other players who could challenge for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, including Robert Lewandowski, Mohamed Salah, and Kevin De Bruyne. Lewandowski has been in excellent form for Bayern Munich this season, scoring 35 goals in 29 appearances. The Polish striker is one of the most prolific goalscorers in the world and is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the game. Salah, meanwhile, has been in excellent form for Liverpool this season, scoring 23 goals in 29 appearances. The Egyptian forward is one of the most exciting players to watch in world football and is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world. De Bruyne, meanwhile, has been in excellent form for Manchester City this season, scoring 13 goals and providing 20 assists in 29 appearances. The Belgian midfielder is one of the most creative and influential players in the world and is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the game.
Messi Remains the Favorite
Lionel Messi remains the clear favorite to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or, according to the latest odds from Betfair. The 35-year-old Argentine has won the award a record seven times, and he is showing no signs of slowing down. In the 2022-23 season, Messi has already scored 15 goals and provided 10 assists for Paris Saint-Germain. He has also led Argentina to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Messi’s main challengers for the award are Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Kevin De Bruyne. However, Messi’s experience and track record of success make him the overwhelming favorite to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Contenders
Here are the top contenders for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, according to Betfair:
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | 1.50 |
| Kylian Mbappé | 3.00 |
| Erling Haaland | 4.00 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | 5.00 |
Ronaldo Closing in on Father Time
At 36 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer the player he once was. He is not as fast, not as strong, and not as agile. But he is still one of the best players in the world, and he is still capable of producing moments of magic.
Father Time is Catching Up
There are no signs that Ronaldo is slowing down just yet. He is still scoring goals for fun, and he is still leading his team to victory. However, there are some signs that Father Time is starting to catch up with him.
One of the most noticeable signs is Ronaldo’s declining speed. He is no longer the player he once was, and he is no longer able to beat defenders with his pace. This has led to him becoming more reliant on his other skills, such as his dribbling and finishing. Ronaldo at 36 is a different player than the Ronaldo at 26. In the 2021/22 season, Ronaldo scored 18 goals in the premier league out of 30 games while Lionel Messi scored 6 goals out 26 games in Ligue 1. This shows that Ronaldo is still performing at a high level physically and mentally.
| Season | Goals | Assists | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 18 | 3 | ||
| 2020/21 | 29 | 3 | ||
| 2019/20 | 31 | 6Mbappe’s Time to Shine———-Kylian Mbappe is the current favorite to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or. The French forward has been in sensational form for Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team, scoring goals at an incredible rate. Mbappe is still only 23 years old, but he has already achieved more than most players do in their entire careers. He has won the Ligue 1 title four times, the Coupe de France three times, and the Coupe de la Ligue once. He has also helped PSG reach the Champions League final twice. On the international stage, Mbappe was a key member of the French team that won the 2018 World Cup. He was named the FIFA Young Player of the Year in 2018 and was nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2021. Mbappe has all the qualities of a Ballon d’Or winner. He is a world-class goalscorer, and he is also a very creative player. He has the ability to create chances for himself and others, and he is always a threat to score. Mbappe has a long way to go in his career, but he has already achieved a great deal. He is one of the most exciting young players in the world, and he has the potential to become one of the greatest players of all time.### Mbappe’s Individual and Team Achievements ###Mbappe has won a number of individual and team awards, including: | Year | Award |
| Year | Award | |||
| 2017 | Golden Boy | |||
| 2018 | FIFA Young Player of the Year | |||
| 2018 | Ligue 1 Player of the Year | |||
| 2019 | Ligue 1 Player of the Year | |||
| 2021 | Ligue 1 Player of the Year | |||
| 2022 | Ligue 1 Player of the Year | |||
| 2017 | Ligue 1 title | |||
| 2018 | Ligue 1 title | |||
| 2019 | Ligue 1 title | |||
| 2020 | Ligue 1 title | |||
| 2017 | Coupe de France | |||
| 2018 | Coupe de France | |||
| 2020 | Coupe de France | |||
| 2022 | Coupe de la Ligue | |||
| 2018 | FIFA World Cup | |||
| Season | Goals | |||
| 2019-20 | 55 | |||
| 2020-21 | 48 | |||
| 2021-22 | 50 | |||
| 2022-23 | 41 | |||
| Factor | In Favor | Against | ||
| Goalscoring ability | One of the most prolific goalscorers in the world | |||
| Team success | Key player for Liverpool, one of the best teams in the world | |||
| Individual success | Proven track record of success in the Premier League and Champions League | |||
| International success | Has not won a major international trophy with Egypt | |||
| Age | Entering the latter stages of his career | |||
| Season | Goals | Assists | ||
| 2021-22 | 52 | 12 | ||
| 2022-23 | 32 | 16 | ||
| Season | Goals | Assists | ||
| 2021/22 | 15 | 13 | ||
| 2022/23 | 17 | 12 | ||
| La Liga | Champions League | Copa del Rey | Total | |
| Appearances | 37 | 12 | 5 | 54 |
| Goals | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Assists | 7 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Dribbles completed | 2.9 per game | 2.5 per game | 2.3 per game | 2.8 per game |
| Passes completed | 89.4% | 89.1% | 89.3% | 89.3% |
| Name | Club | Position | Age | |
| Luis Díaz | Liverpool | Winger | 25 |