The Ballon d'Or 2025 ceremony is set to take place tonight in Paris, with anticipation building to see who will be crowned the best men's and women's footballers of the year. The Theatre du Chatelet will host the glitzy event, often dubbed the "Oscars of football".

Men's Ballon d'Or

Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has emerged as a frontrunner for the men's Ballon d'Or. The 28-year-old played a pivotal role in PSG's historic season, marked by their first-ever Champions League title. Dembele filled the void left by Kylian Mbappe, netting 35 goals and helping PSG secure a domestic clean sweep and reach the FIFA Club World Cup final. His outstanding performance also earned him the Champions League's player of the season award.

Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona prodigy, is also a strong contender. At just 18 years old, Yamal has become a superstar, drawing comparisons to Lionel Messi. He was instrumental in Barcelona's La Liga and Copa del Rey victories, contributing 18 goals and 25 assists across all competitions, along with 4 goals and 5 assists for Spain in the Nations League.

Other notable nominees include Mohamed Salah, who led Liverpool to the Premier League title, and Harry Kane. PSG has a strong representation, with nine players nominated, including Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior are also on the list.

Women's Ballon d'Or

The women's Ballon d'Or race is highly competitive, with several Spanish players in contention. Aitana Bonmatí, the winner of the last two awards, is aiming for a third consecutive title. However, she faces stiff competition from her Spanish teammates, including Alexia Putellas and Mariona Caldentey.

Mariona Caldentey is also a strong contender, with some predicting she will win the award. She scored a goal in the Euro 2025 final and was a key player for Spain at the tournament. Caldentey also won the Champions League and PFA Players' Player of the Year award with Arsenal.

Alessia Russo of Arsenal is another prominent contender. She was joint-top scorer in the Women's Super League and scored the equalizing goal for England in the Euro 2025 final. Russo also won the Women's Champions League with Arsenal.

Lucy Bronze is also among the nominees, having won the Women's Super League, FA Cup, and League Cup with Chelsea. Other notable nominees include Barbra Banda, Caroline Graham Hansen, and Amanda Gutierres.

The Ballon d'Or ceremony promises to be an exciting event, with several other awards also being presented. These include the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper, the Kopa Trophy for best young player, and awards for the best coaches and clubs. New categories have been added in 2025 to celebrate women's achievements, including the Women's Yashin Trophy, Women's Gerd Müller Trophy, and Women's Kopa Trophy.