- The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony is set to take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France, on Monday, September 22, 2025
- Thirty players have been shortlisted, with Lamine Yamal, Dembélé, and Raphinha emerging as frontrunners for the prestigious award
- In the history of the accolade, only two Ghanaian players have ever earned official nominations
The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner will be crowned on Monday night at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, with football’s biggest names vying for the game’s most prestigious individual prize.
Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembélé and Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal have been tipped as frontrunners, but there is a twist.
Source: Getty Images
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Reports, corroborated by GOAL.com, indicate that Dembélé and several of his PSG teammates may not attend the gala.
Their absence stems from the postponement of “Le Classique” against Marseille, which was originally scheduled for Sunday evening at the Stade Vélodrome.
Severe thunderstorms swept through the region, forcing Ligue 1 officials to delay the highly anticipated clash.
Adding to the intrigue, a supposed leak of the final Ballon d’Or rankings has gone viral on social media.
Source: Getty Images
The unverified list shows Barcelona’s Raphinha topping the standings with 800 points, followed by Dembélé on 710 and Yamal in third place.
If accurate, the revelation would be a shock, considering Raphinha was not widely viewed as the favourite going into the ceremony, per the Tribune.
Ghanaian presence in Ballon d’Or history
While the 30-man shortlist for this year’s prize includes Serhou Guirassy, Achraf Hakimi, and Mohamed Salah as the only African representatives, no Ghanaian made the cut.
That omission invites a look back at the few Black Stars players who have previously been recognised.
Source: Getty Images
Michael Essien – Chelsea
Nicknamed the Bison, Essien became the first Ghanaian to earn a Ballon d’Or nomination after the award was expanded in 1995 to include players from across the world, not just Europeans.
Watch Essien’s highlights at Chelsea:
The midfield powerhouse, a key figure during José Mourinho’s first spell at Chelsea, was shortlisted three times between 2005 and 2007, finishing as high as 22nd on his debut.
Asamoah Gyan – Sunderland
His exploits with Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and early impact at Sunderland earned him 18th place in the FIFA Ballon d’Or rankings, alongside being crowned BBC African Footballer of the Year.
Watch Gyan’s highlights at Sunderland:
The Baby Jet’s finish in 2010 eclipses the record of Essien, making the former Black Stars captain the Ghanaian player with the highest rank in Ballon d’Or history.
Others, like Abedi Ayew Pele and Anthony Yeboah, missed out on nominations but were widely considered worthy.
A glimpse of Abedi Ayew in his pomp at Marseille:
Pele shone for Marseille in the early 1990s, winning the African Player of the Year award three times in succession, while Yeboah lit up the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt and starred for Ghana at the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ballon d’Or organiser drops key insight
In an earlier report, YEN.com.gh highlighted remarks by France Football’s Editor-in-Chief, Vincent Garcia, who offered key insight into the criteria behind the Ballon d’Or.
Garcia, who oversees the awards, firmly dismissed rumours about the outcome being predetermined.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Yen.com.gh
