If you thought the days of the Ballon d'Or generating headlines were over after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's era of dominance came to an end, then think again. After one of the most closely-fought races for a number of years, Rodri came out on top in 2024, beating Vinicius Jr into second place as Real Madrid dramatically boycotted the ceremony in Paris in protest at their star player missing out.
Unfortunately for Rodri, he is not in a position to defend his crown in 2025, with the Manchester City midfielder having suffered a serious knee injury last September. The door, then, has been opened for a whole host of players to succeed the Spain star, and the battle for the Golden Ball proved to be real rollercoaster over the course of the European campaign and subsequent Club World Cup.
The 2024-25 season didn't have the same international tournaments as its two predecessors, and so the destination of the Ballon d'Or will be decided almost solely by club performances. That created an opportunity for all sorts of individuals who might not share the same success with their countries as others.
So, after ahead of Monday's big reveal in Paris, who are the favourites for the most prestigious individual prize in world football? As always, GOAL has been there every step of the way to track the contenders and the pretenders with our Ballon d'Or Power Rankings – here's our final top 20:
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Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images20Scott McTominay (Napoli)
You'd have got outrageously long odds on McTominay becoming a Ballon d'Or nominee within 12 months of his Manchester United exit, but there was no more impactful player in Italian football last season than the Scotland international, who earned the Serie A MVP award after leading Napoli to just the fourth Scudetto in their history.
McTominay routinely popped up with crucial goals, especially during the title run-in, and proved to be a driving force for Antonio Conte's side in what turned into one of the most surprising – and instant – glow-ups in modern football history.
AdvertisementAFP19Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
Eyebrows were raised when Bayern Munich committed €60 million (£50.5m/$65m) towards buying Olise from Crystal Palace last summer, but any doubts over how he would handle the step up were very quickly put to bed. The France international emerged as the Bavarians' creator-in-chief while also chipping in with his fair share of goals despite the presence of Harry Kane.
Olise rounded out his campaign with some impressive displays at the Club World Cup, and at 23, he can only get better going forward.
Getty Images Sport18Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
Upon confirmation of his surprise second-placed finish in the 2024 Ballon d'Or, Vinicius swore that "the world wasn't ready" for what he hoped would become his revenge tour. The Brazilian clearly felt that he should have been up on stage with the Golden Ball rather than Rodri, and has attempted to stake his claim ever since.
Certainly, the Real Madrid winger looked in electric form during the first half of the campaign, and there might not be a forward anywhere in world football who can match Vinicius in full flow. However, 2025 has not been a great year for the former Flamengo wonderkid, and an underwhelming Club World Cup campaign means that even a top-10 finish in the Ballon d'Or voting is unlikely.
Getty Images Sport17Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)
One of the signings of the season, Joao Neves landed at PSG after his €60m move from Benfica and immediately looked at home at the heart of the Parisiens' midfield. The archetypal modern No.6, Neves is able to combine the physical side of the game with a classiness in possession that also allows him to contribute in the final third.
It was his goal that completed the vital comeback win against Manchester City that sparked PSG's triumphant Champions League run, but the 20-year-old's contribution to the treble win ran much deeper than that, even if his season ended with him seeing red in the Club World Cup final for pulling Marc Cucurella's hair.