the Ballon d’Or is a prestigious trophy that is awarded annually to one of the world’s top soccer players, and it’s something that every player dreams of winning. In 2024, Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo won the award and captured the attention of soccer fans around the world. So, who will be the upcoming 2025 Ballon d’Or winner? In this article, we’ll take a look at the top 5 Ballon d’Or contenders as of March 2025. this ranking is an analysis of each player’s seasonal performance and current form, and the rankings are certainly subject to change based on future results and trophy wins

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1st place. xavi (FC Barcelona)

currently rated as the number one favorite for the 2025 Ballon d’Or is FC Barcelona’s Xavi, who has been a key part of Barcelona’s offense this season with 13 goals and eight assists in 27 La Liga games. while his attacking points per se are lower than Mohamed Salah’s, he is highly regarded for his moment-to-moment dribbling, creative movement, and ability to make the entire team move in unison. If Barcelona wins the league title or the European Champions League, his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or will only increase

runner-up. mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

liverpool ace Mohamed Salah is second in the Ballon d’Or predictions as of March. Salah has scored a staggering 27 goals and 17 assists in 29 appearances this season, helping the Reds to a commanding lead at the top of the Premier League table. He leads the league in both goals and assists, and could very well emerge as the number one Ballon d’Or contender should Liverpool win the league title

third place. kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)

kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid was slowed by acclimatization issues early in the season, but he’s now back to full fitness and has reignited the scoring race. He has 20 goals and three assists in 26 La Liga games this season, and is a favorite to win the league and Champions League. if Mbappe can win his club’s trophy alongside his individual title, he could surge into the Ballon d’Or race

4th place. pedri (FC Barcelona)

the young Spanish midfielder has made a full recovery this season and is back to his best. He has four goals and four assists in 26 games to date, and his tactical understanding and ability to break up play is still top-notch. A pivotal player for both the national team and his club, the versatile midfielder could see his attacking points increase in the future and his Ballon d’Or ranking rise if Barcelona perform well

5th place. vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior was a favorite to win the Ballon d’Or last year, but came up just short. This season, he’s seen his attacking points fall below expectations, with 10 goals and five assists in 22 games. While his per-game impact is still excellent, he’s falling behind rivals like Zapata, Salah, and Mbappe in terms of performance, which is contributing to his drop in the rankings

wrap-up: The 2025 Ballon d’Or is still up in the air

as of now, Zapata and Salah are the favorites to win the award, but the rankings could easily change over the course of the rest of the season depending on Champions League results, league winners, and international performances. Stay tuned to our monthly Ballon d’Or rankings to see how the key players perform and who will take home this year’s top honor. For more soccer awards, player rankings analysis, and European soccer coverage, stay tuned to our latest content.