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For years, the Ballon d’Or award was synonymous with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The legendary duo dominated the award, leaving little room for debate. However in current seasons, the celebrated accolade has turn into way more unpredictable. Rodri’s most up-to-date triumph is a testomony to that, because the Manchester Metropolis midfielder edged out Vinicius in a hotly contested race.
Nonetheless, with Rodri sidelined as a consequence of a season-ending damage, the 2025 version of the Ballon d’Or is shaping as much as be an open contest. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are, as at all times, within the dialog. Mohamed Salah, after a sensational begin to the marketing campaign, has seen his probabilities take successful. In the meantime, Harry Kane’s goalscoring exploits maintain him within the operating.
However a brand new title has unexpectedly surged to the entrance of the pack—a participant few anticipated would lead the race for soccer’s most coveted particular person honor. It’s not Lamine Yamal.
The participant in query has been within the type of his life. With a staggering 44 objective contributions in all competitions, no participant in La Liga has been extra influential this season. Solely Mohamed Salah has registered extra throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues, and even then, the Egyptian has performed considerably extra minutes.
Defenders throughout Spain and Europe have struggled to include his direct operating, creativity, and deadly ending. The Champions League has been his playground, the place he has already amassed 11 objectives and 5 assists in simply 835 minutes—numbers that even Messi, at his peak, couldn’t surpass within the competitors’s group phases. His performances have propelled Barcelona into rivalry for a historic treble. With La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League nonetheless inside attain, his affect has been unimaginable to disregard.
Introducing Raphinha: Barcelona’s new star
Sure, the participant dominating the Ballon d’Or dialog is none apart from Raphinha. The 28-year-old Brazilian has taken his recreation to a different stage below Hansi Flick, evolving from a gifted winger into the heartbeat of Barcelona’s assault. In a season the place Lamine Yamal has dazzled along with his youthful brilliance and Robert Lewandowski has continued to attain objectives, it’s Raphinha who has been the Blaugrana’s most decisive participant.
“To play towards him this season is to be haunted by his driving runs and curling left-footed crosses, his skill to ask questions of one of the best defenders on the earth,” notes The Analyst.
He isn’t simply scoring objectives; he’s creating extra probabilities than every other participant in Europe’s high 5 leagues. With 116 probabilities created and 12.3 anticipated assists, Raphinha has been each a goal-scorer and a playmaker. And on the subject of delivering in essential moments, few have been higher.
The Blaugrana’s 4-1 victory over Bayern Munich within the UEFA Champions League group stage was a press release efficiency, and Raphinha stole the present with a surprising hat-trick. It was the form of efficiency that pressured the soccer world to take discover. Then within the Spherical of 16, along with his aspect decreased to 10 males from the twenty second minute, the winger stepped up and scored the decisive objective to ship his group by means of. It was a second that solidified his repute as a big-game participant.
Can Raphinha win the Ballon d’Or?
The battle for the 2025 Ballon d’Or stays fierce, and securing silverware will probably be essential. If Raphinha can information Barcelona to a number of trophies—notably the Champions League—his case will turn into almost simple, GOAL’s newest energy rankings reveal.
Kylian Mbappe stays a robust challenger, particularly if he can lead Actual Madrid to European glory. His current hat-trick towards Manchester Metropolis in February was a reminder of his skill to show large moments in his favor.
In the meantime, Mohamed Salah’s decline within the rankings has been one of many season’s greatest surprises. As soon as thought of the frontrunner, Liverpool’s Champions League exit and Carabao Cup last loss have considerably broken his hopes.
GOAL’s Ballon d’Or 2025 energy rankings
Energy rankParticipant titlePresent membership1.RaphinhaBarcelona2.Kylian MbappeReal Madrid3.Lamine YamalBarcelona4.Harry KaneBayern Munich5.Ousmane DembelePSG6.Mohamed SalahLiverpool7.PedriBarcelona8.Robert LewandowskiBarcelona9.Vinicius JuniorReal Madrid10.Jude BellinghamReal Madrid
