The yearly Ballon d’Or ceremony attracts attention as the soccer community celebrates its top players. This year, however, some familiar faces are missing: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Jude Bellingham, along with other stars from Real Madrid, are also skipping the event.
This year is poised for an unexpected winner. Reports suggest that Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele, and Vitinha from Paris Saint-Germain, who recently won the Champions League, might be in contention for top honors.
Mbappe was expected to be in the top ten due to his impressive goal record. Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr., who came second last year, ranks 16th this time.
The event will also highlight leading talents in women’s soccer, with players like Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas from FC Barcelona, and Alessia Russo from Arsenal, competing for top awards.
Why are Mbappe, Vinicius, and other Real Madrid players missing the 2025 Ballon d’Or?
Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and several players from Real Madrid are not attending the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony because they have been selected for a La Liga match against Levante, which is set for Tuesday, according to a report from Marca.
There are also mentions of last year’s awards when Vinicius was seen as a potential winner, but Manchester City’s Rodri took the prize instead. A report from BeIN notes that Real Madrid disagreed with the voting format, leading to the absence of Vinicius, Bellingham, and their teammates at last year’s ceremony.
For this year, it appears that the Real Madrid players listed in the final nominations are not considered front-runners for the award. Given the upcoming match, focusing on their performance seems more sensible than revisiting last year’s speculations regarding Vinicius.