Former Ballon d’Or winner hints at Kylian Mbappe win in 2025 | OneFootball

The race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or is set to be fascinating in the coming weeks with Barcelona and PSG dominating the shortlist.

On the back of winning a treble in his debut season at Barcelona, Hansi Flick’s side are heavily represented, with Lamine Yamal backed as their best hope.

PSG went one better, and secured a first-ever UEFA Champions League crown, and Ousmane Dembele leads the charge for Luis Enrique’s side.

Despite ending the season without a trophy, Kylian Mbappe shone for Real Madrid in 2024/25, and he is the sole Los Blancos representative.

His final tally for the campaign ended on 31 La Liga goals and 44 in all competitions from 59 appearances.

Image via El Futbolero

The France international is expected to be in the top five, alongside Raphinha, Pedri and potentially Robert Lewandowski, but a run for the No.1 spot looks unlikely.

His best finish remains as third from 2023, being Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi, as the latter scooped his eighth win.

Michael Owen drops Ballon d’Or hint on Mbappe

Despite the odds being against him, former Real Madrid striker – and 2001 winner – Michael Owen, believes he is the best player on the planet right now.

“For me, he’s the best player in the world right now,” Owen told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

“He can take a game away from someone.

“He’s got the ability to embarrass you. If he gets you out wide, a bit of skill, his touch, his pace, he can finish, he can take a game away.”

Owen became just the fourth English player to win the award – and the last one to lift it – after a sensational start to life at Liverpool.

After scoring a superb 158 goals in 297 games at Anfield he made the move to Madrid in 2004 -scoring 16 goals in his single campaign in Spain – before making the move back to England with Newcastle United.