2025 Ballon d’Or: 3 PSG Players Tipped To Beat Lamine Yamal, Raphinha to Prestigious Award
- Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Achraf Hakimi are now frontrunners for the 2025 Ballon d’Or
- Paris Saint-Germain’s treble-winning season has boosted their players' Ballon d’Or chances after the UCL victory
- Barcelona duo Raphinha and Lamine Yamal remain contenders following an impressive campaign
Paris Saint-Germain’s historic UEFA Champions League victory has sparked further conversation around the 2025 Ballon d’Or, with several of their stars now being tipped as frontrunners.
Football legend Gary Lineker believes PSG’s victory, which marked their first-ever Champions League title, gives their players a significant edge in this year’s race for the prestigious individual honour.
Source: Getty Images
In a commanding 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the final, standout performances came from all over the pitch.
Desire Doue netted twice, while Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu all found the back of the net in a dominant display against Inter Milan in Munich.
Though it was a true team effort, Lineker singled out Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Achraf Hakimi as serious contenders for the Ballon d'Or award, Daily Mirror reports.
"I suppose Dembele will be the favourite. He had a couple of really good moments in the final despite not getting a goal.
"He was very involved in quite a few of the goals, one assist and maybe a pre-assist as well.
"I think he will probably be favourite now. [Gianluigi] Donnaruma might have a slight chance but goalkeepers rarely get it. Maybe [Achraf] Hakimi as well."
Dembele leads PSG’s Ballon d’Or race
At the heart of PSG’s treble-winning campaign was Ousmane Dembele, who enjoyed a career-best season.
The French winger scored 33 goals and contributed 15 assists in 49 appearances, playing a crucial role for the Parisians across Ligue 1, the French Cup, and the UEFA Champions League, Sportskeeeda reports.
Dembele did not score in the Champions League final, but was instrumental in PSG’s attacking dominance. He registered two assists and was heavily involved in the build-up to multiple goals.
The Frenchman’s explosive pace and creativity throughout the season make him a prime candidate for the coveted award.
Joining Dembele in the conversation is PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose commanding displays between the posts kept PSG solid defensively throughout the campaign.
Source: Getty Images
Achraf Hakimi, who capped his season with a goal in the final, is also seen as a potential dark horse in the race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Barcelona’s stars remain in contention
Despite PSG’s dominance, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Raphinha remain in the Ballon d'Or conversation after impressive individual seasons.
The duo helped Barca win La Liga and the Copa del Rey, and pushed hard in the Champions League before falling short in the semi-finals.
Raphinha was the Champions League top scorer, while 17-year-old Yamal took home the Young Player award.
The brilliance of both Barca players cannot be ignored, but not winning the Champions League may work against their cases when votes are cast.
Luis Enrique picks his Ballon d’Or winner
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique has picked Ousmane Dembele to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or after the team won their first UEFA Champions League trophy.
Dembele was instrumental in helping the team win the European treble this season.
Top stars like Mohamed Salah, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal have at one point or the other been the favourites to succeed 2024 winner Rodri.
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Source: Legit.ng
