Ballon d’Or 2025: How football’s top prize will be decided

WEB DESK: The countdown is on for football’s biggest individual honour as Paris gets ready to host the Ballon d’Or 2025 ceremony on Monday, September 22, at the Théâtre du Châtelet. The event, organised by France Football, kicks off at 6 pm GMT and will crown the men’s and women’s winners of the sport’s most prestigious award.

How voting works

The Ballon d’Or process remains as rigorous as ever. A 30-man shortlist was unveiled earlier this year, with one journalist from each of FIFA’s top 100 ranked nations casting votes. Each journalist selects 10 players, assigning 15 points to their top pick, 12 to second place, 10 to third and so on. In the event of a tie, the number of first-place votes is decisive. The evaluation period covers the 2024/25 season, from August 1, 2024, until July 13, 2025, coinciding with the FIFA Club World Cup final.

The frontrunners

The race to succeed last year’s winner, Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri, appears wide open. Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé and Barcelona’s teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal are seen as leading contenders, though all 30 shortlisted players remain in contention.

Liverpool edge Everton 2‑1, keep Premier League perfection alive

Two-years earlier, Lionel Messi won the 2023 edition as an Inter Miami player, adding to his 2021 triumph with Paris Saint-Germain, and his earlier successes in 2019 and 2015 with Barcelona. Karim Benzema captured the 2022 award with Real Madrid, while Luka Modric claimed it in 2018 for the same club. Cristiano Ronaldo won consecutive Ballon d’Or titles in 2016 and 2017 during his Real Madrid spell. The award was not handed out in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beyond the trophy

While the Ballon d’Or itself is valued at just €3,000 and not made of pure gold, its influence is immense. Winners often secure major endorsements, significant club bonuses, and a surge in market value. Since its inception in 1956, the award has immortalised some of football’s greatest names, from Alfredo Di Stéfano to Lionel Messi.

The women’s Ballon d’Or, introduced in 2018, follows a similar process, though voting is limited to journalists from the top 50 nations in FIFA’s women’s ranking. Together, both honours remain the ultimate benchmark of individual excellence in world football.

La Liga: Torres scores twice as Rashford assists

Meanwhile, La Liga season began as Barcelona extended their unbeaten start to a 3-0 home win over Getafe, highlighted by a Ferran Torres brace and a Marcus Rashford assist.

Torres struck twice in the first half, first finishing off Dani Olmo’s backheel on 15 minutes before converting a Raphinha pass in the 34th. He was denied a hat-trick when his volley hit the crossbar. Getafe’s physical approach earned them several bookings, including one for coach Jose Bordalás, while Raphinha was substituted at half-time after an altercation that followed his earlier yellow card.

Rashford, who had scored twice in the Champions League midweek, came on for the Brazilian at the break amid reports he had been dropped from the starting XI for arriving late to a morning meeting. He made an immediate impact, racing down the right to set up Olmo’s 62nd-minute strike, his second La Liga assist in as many games. The Manchester United loanee almost added a goal in stoppage time but was denied by goalkeeper David Soria.

The win leaves defending champions Barcelona second in the table, two points behind leaders Real Madrid after five games. The fixture was held at the Johan Cruyff Stadium while Camp Nou undergoes redevelopment.