Ousmane Dembele, Lamine Yamal and the Ballon d'Or Top 10, Ranked by Salary
- Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d'Or, beating competition from Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal
- Yamal won the Kopa trophy for the second consecutive year, becoming the first player to win it twice
- The final rankings top 10 could have been different if the players were ranked based on salaries at their clubs
The Ballon d'Or final rankings top 10 could have come out differently if the players were ranked based on their salaries and not by the jury's votes.
Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d'Or after a remarkable season with Paris Saint-Germain, beating Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal.
Source: Getty Images
Yamal did not go home empty-handed as he retained the Kopa trophy, becoming the first player to win the award twice and in consecutive years, as noted by The Athletic.
Dembele's PSG teammates Vitinha, who was absent at the ceremony as he was playing in the postponed match against Marseille, took the last podium spot.
Premier League Golden Boot and Playmaker's Award winner Mohamed Salah finished fourth, while Raphinha, who has the most goals and assists in the UEFA Champions League, finished fifth.
As noted by Ballon d'Or, PSG defender Achraf Hakimi was the second-highest ranked African after Salah in sixth place, Kylian Mbappe placed seventh, while Cole Palmer finished eighth.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, who left PSG to join Manchester City, and Nuno Mendes made up the rest of the top 10 on the final rankings.
Ballon d'Or top 10 based on salary
Transfermarkt analysed how the Ballon d'Or top 10 would look if the players that made it were arranged based on how much they earn at their clubs.
1. Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe finished seventh in the 2025 Ballon d'Or, but could have been first if it were ranked based on salaries. The Frenchman pockets an astonishing €31.3 million per annum at Real Madrid.
2. Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian was the Premier League’s best player last season and finished fourth on the Ballon d'Or ranking. He would have placed second with his €21 million salary, and fans wouldn't be surprised, judging by his phenomenal season.
3. Ousmane Dembele
The actual winner of the award, Dembele, would have finished third if it were ranked by salary, as he pockets €18 million per season at Parc des Princes.
4. Raphinha, Lamine Yamal
Barcelona duo Yamal and Raphinha would have finished joint fourth if it were based on annual salary, as they both reportedly earn €16.7 million per year.
Source: Getty Images
6. Achraf Hakimi
The Moroccan defender is the only player in the top 10 who would have retained his position regardless of the arrangement by votes or salary. He pockets €13.2 million at PSG.
7. Gianluigi Donnarumma
The Italian goalkeeper won the Yachine trophy and finished ninth on the Ballon d'Or rankings. He left PSG to join Manchester City after a dispute over a new contract, securing a deal worth €13 million per year in England.
8. Vitinha
The Portuguese midfielder finished on the podium in third, but he would have finished third from behind in the money league with his €11 million per year salary at PSG.
9. Nuno Mendes
Mendes, the only other midfielder on the list after Hakimi finished 10th on the Ballon d'Or rankings, but could have been ninth with his €10 million salary.
10. Cole Palmer
The highest-ranked English player, Palmer, at eighth on the Ballon d'Or rankings, is 10th on the money league with a €6.8 million salary per season due to Chelsea's strict incentive-based salary.
Does Ballon d'Or winner receive prize money?
Legit.ng analysed whether the Ballon d'Or winner receives prize money after Ousmane Dembele received the 2025 Golden Ball award ahead of Lamine Yamal.
The award winners only receive the trophy, which was specially crafted at a jewellery house in Paris, and some previous winners have received other gifts from sponsors.
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Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
