The forward for Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe, has ascended to the second position in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings, coming behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
Naija News recalls that last year marked a significant moment in football history, as it was the first occasion since 2003 that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo received a nomination for the prestigious individual player award.
In their absence, Rodri from Manchester City claimed the award, finishing ahead of Real Madrid’s Vinícius Jr.
Currently, Mohamed Salah appears to be the front-runner for this year’s Ballon d’Or award.
The prolific Egyptian is on the verge of securing the Premier League title with Liverpool, who hold a commanding 13-point lead over Arsenal with 12 matches remaining.
Salah is experiencing what could be considered the finest season of his career, having netted 30 goals and provided 22 assists across all competitions, making him the most impactful player in Europe’s top five leagues.
Additionally, Liverpool is among the leading contenders for the Champions League title.
After a slow start, where he failed to score in his first three league matches, Mbappe has found his form in Spain, tallying 28 goals thus far and is poised to surpass Iván Zamorano’s record for the most goals in a debut season at Madrid.
According to reports from Goal, the 2025 Ballon d’Or top five rankings are rounded out by Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona), Raphinha (Brazil, Barcelona), and Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich).
