Messi and Ronaldo’s Era Ends After Missing Ballon d’Or Nominations in 2025

For the first time in 20 years, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo has been nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or award.

This also marks the end of an era for these two superstars. Messi won the Ballon d’Or nine times, from 2009 to 2023.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or five times: in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

However, this year’s Ballon d’Or feels different. On Thursday evening (7 August 2025), the announcement revealed the names of the 30 players nominated. PSG dominated the list with nine nominations.

Additionally, eight footballers from the English Premier League are competing to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

2025 Ballon d’Or Nominees:

• Ousmane Dembele (PSG)
• Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG)
• Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
• Desire Doue (PSG)
• Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan)
• Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)
• Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
• Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)
• Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
• Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG)
• Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
• Alexis MacAllister (Liverpool)
• Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
• Scott McTominay (Napoli)
• Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
• Nuno Mendes (PSG)
• Joao Neves (PSG)
• Pedri (Barcelona)
• Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
• Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
• Raphinha (Barcelona)
• Declan Rice (Arsenal)
• Fabian Ruiz (PSG)
• Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
• Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)
• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
• Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)
• Vitinha (PSG)
• Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)