The Race For The Men's Award
Predicting the Ballon d'Or is never easy. In 2024, Vinícius Júnior believed he would win before learning hours before the ceremony that Rodri took the prize. This year, the men's field features many strong candidates. Lamine Yamal starred for Barcelona, while Harry Kane scored more goals for Bayern Munich than ever before. Kylian Mbappé shined for Real Madrid, and Lionel Messi continued to impress for Inter Miami CF and Argentina.
To see who might win, journalists from around the globe submitted ballots using the official shortlists. Voters selected their top five players, with points awarded based on finishing positions. The voting panel included reporters from Guatemala, the UK, the Netherlands, India, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Spain, and Chile.
Top Contenders And First Place Votes
Harry Kane received half of the first place votes. Tom Hamilton, a senior writer, noted that Kane scored 73 goals in 65 matches across England and Bayern. Thijs Zwagerman added that Kane possesses rare playmaking abilities for a striker.
Lionel Messi also received strong backing. Anirudh Menon mentioned his stellar performances in Major League Soccer and the World Cup, calling him the best player on the planet. Teo Coquet agreed, pointing to Messi's international influence at 39 years old.
More Stars In The Running
Kylian Mbappé drew support from Omar Flores and Carlos Valdez for leading the scoring charts in LaLiga, the Champions League, and the World Cup. Fabián Ruiz earned praise from Moises Llorens for his vital role in Paris Saint Germain winning the Champions League and Spain winning the World Cup. Rodri was backed by Jean Beausejour for his control and intelligence in midfield.
For the women's award, Alexia Putellas is the favorite after captaining Barcelona to another quadruple. The official winners for all categories will be revealed on Oct. 26 at a ceremony in London.
Read next
- Football predictions today
- Jackpot predictions this week
- Premier League and every other league
- Premier League official website
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