2025 Ballon d'Or Awards Ceremony: Dembele, Mbappe, Pedri, Lewandowski absent

(NLDO) - The 2025 Golden Ball Awards ceremony will take place in the early morning of September 23 in Paris with many big names deciding not to attend.

When Man City's Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d'Or, Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. was absent from the event at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris. This year's ceremony looks set to be even more problematic as PSG striker Ousmane Dembele - a leading candidate for the Ballon d'Or - is likely to be absent.

How the experts voted

The voting system is based on three factors: Individual performance, team performance and career. A panel of 100 sports journalists voted for the men's award and 50 voted for the women's award, with the top 10 nominees for each category.

Each position in the top 10 will receive a certain number of points, corresponding to the ranking: 15 points for first place, 12 points for second place, 10 points for third place and decreasing to 1 point for tenth place.

Golden Ball for best player

The Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best young player, has a different voting system than the jury of former Ballon d'Or winners.

The biggest change to the 2025 tournament is the complete balance between the number of men's and women's trophies. All prizes will be awarded to both men and women without distinction.

What happened in 2024?

The 2024 Ballon d'Or awards gala was deeply affected by the events related to Real Madrid. The Spanish team's delegation decided not to attend the awards ceremony after it was reported that Rodri would become the first Man City player to win the Ballon d'Or.

Real Madrid "boycott" the 2024 Golden Ball awards gala

Much controversy surrounded the event, especially when Real Madrid was awarded the "Team of the Year" award and Carlo Ancelotti was also named "Coach of the Year".

Florentino Perez's team have publicly expressed their disagreement with the way the award ceremony and France Football awards are organised. They stated: "If the criteria of the award do not award Vinicius as the winner, then those same criteria should be directed towards Carvajal. Since this did not happen, it is clear that the Ballon d'Or does not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid will not go where it is not respected."

Dembele absent?

The number 1 candidate for the 2025 Golden Ball award may not attend the event, the main reason may be because PSG's away match with Olympique Marseille on September 21 was postponed due to a forecast of storms in the area.

Dembele is likely to miss this year's awards ceremony.

Dembele's presence at the Chatelet Theatre is in doubt, according to multiple reports, including the fact that he is injured and is not expected to feature against Roberto De Zerbi's side.

Especially after what happened to Real Madrid last year, the nominees won't know who won the award until Monday night, which makes Dembele's presence all the more important.

Two Barcelona stars did not attend the Gala

According to Mundo Deportivo , midfielder Pedri and striker Robert Lewandowski have decided not to travel to Paris to attend the awards ceremony.

The reason is because the star duo of Barcelona do not consider themselves the top candidates for this title, so they prioritize rest to maintain their fitness amid their busy competition schedule.

Previously, Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) also confirmed that he only watched the awards ceremony on television.

Mbappe, Pedri and Lewandowski absent from Gala

In fact, Barcelona still has two representatives with the chance to win the "Golden Ball": Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, as they are the main candidates competing with Ousmane Dembele (PSG). In addition, coach Hansi Flick is nominated for the best coach category.

The awards will be presented in Paris:

Golden Ball (best male and female player of the 2024-25 season)

Kopa Award (Best U21 Male and Female Player)

Yashin Trophy (best male and female goalkeeper)

Gerd Müller Award (male, female player who scores most goals for club/national team)

Johan Cruyff Award (Best Men's Coach, Best Women's Coach, Club/National Team)

Best Boys' Club, Girls' Club of the Year

Socrates Prize

List of nominations for the 2025 Men's Golden Ball Award

Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid), Ousmane Dembélé (France, Paris Saint-Germain), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, PSG/Man City), Désiré Doué (France, Paris Saint-Germain), Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands, Inter), Serhou Guirassy (Guinea, Borussia Dortmund), Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden, Sporting CP/Arsenal), Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain), Harry Kane (England, Bayern), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, Napoli/PSG), Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Barcelona), Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina, Liverpool), Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter), Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid), Scott McTominay (Scotland, Napoli), Nuno Mendes (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain), João Neves (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain), Michael Olise (France, Bayern), Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea), Pedri (Spain, Barcelona), Raphinha (Brazil, Barcelona), Declan Rice (England, Arsenal), Fabián Ruiz (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain), Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool), Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid), Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain), Florian Wirtz (Germany, Leverkusen/Liverpool), Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona).

Stars gather in Paris

List of nominations for the 2025 Women's Golden Ball

Sandy Baltimore (France, Chelsea), Barbra Banda (Zambia, Orlando Pride), Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona), Lucy Bronze (England, Chelsea), Klara Bühl (Germany, Bayern), Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Arsenal), Sofia Cantore (Italy, Juventus/Washington Spirit), Steph Catley (Australia, Arsenal), Temwa Chawinga (Malawi, Kansas City), Melchie Dumornay (Haiti, Lyon), Emily Fox (USA, Arsenal), Cristiana Girelli (Italy, Juventus), Esther González (Spain, Gotham FC), Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona), Patri Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona), Amanda Gutierres (Brazil, Palmeiras), Hannah Hampton (England, Chelsea), Pernille Harder (Denmark, Bayern), Lindsey Heaps (USA, OL Lyonnes), Chloe Kelly (England, Manchester City/Arsenal), Frida Leonhardsen Maanum (Na Uy, Arsenal), Marta (Brazil, Orlando Pride), Clara Mateo (France, Paris FC), Ewa Pajor (Poland, Barcelona), Clàudia Pina (Spain, Barcelona), Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona), Alessia Russo (England, Arsenal), Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Sweden, Chelsea), Caroline Weir (Scotland, Real Madrid), Leah Williamson (England, Arsenal).

Men's Kopa Trophy nominations list

Ayyoub Bouaddi (France, Lille), Pau Cubarsí (Spain, Barcelona), Désiré Doué (France, Paris Saint-Germain), Estêvão (Brazil, Palmeiras/Chelsea), Dean Huijsen (Spain, Bournemouth/Real Madrid), Myles Lewis-Skelly (England, Arsenal), Rodrigo Mora (Portugal, Porto), João Neves (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain), Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona), Kenan Yıldız (Türkiye, Juventus).

Lamine Yamal is nominated in two categories.

Women's Kopa Trophy nominations list

Michelle Agyemang (England, Brighton), Linda Caicedo (Colombia, Real Madrid), Wieke Kaptein (Netherlands, Chelsea), Vicky López (Spain, Barcelona), Claudia Martínez Ovando (Paraguay, Club Olimpia)

Yashin Trophy Men's Nominations List

Alisson Becker (Brazil, Liverpool), Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal), Lucas Chevalier (France, Lille/Paris Saint-Germain), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, Real Madrid), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain/Man City), Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa), Jan Oblak (Slovenia, Atlético Madrid), David Raya (Spain, Arsenal), Matz Sels (Belgium, Nottingham Forest), Yann Sommer (Switzerland, Inter)

Yashin Trophy nominations for women

Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany, Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Spain, Barcelona), Hannah Hampton (England, Chelsea), Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC/Brighton), Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands, Arsenal)

Johan Cruyff Trophy nominations (for male coaches)

Antonio Conte (Italy, Napoli)

Luis Enrique (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)

Hansi Flick (Germany, Barcelona)

Enzo Maresca (Italy, Chelsea)

Arne Slot (Netherlands, Liverpool)

Johan Cruyff Trophy nominations (for female coaches)

Sonia Bompastor (France, Chelsea)

Arthur Elias (Brazil, Brazil national team)

Justine Madugu (Nigeria, Nigeria national team)

Renée Slegers (Netherlands, Arsenal)

Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands, England)

List of nominations for the Men's Club Award

Barcelona (Spain), Botafogo (Brazil), Chelsea (England), Liverpool (England), Paris Saint-Germain (France)

Women's Club Award Nominations List

Arsenal (England), Barcelona (Spain), Chelsea (England), OL Lyonnes (France), Orlando Pride (USA)

Source: https://nld.com.vn/le-trao-giai-qua-bong-vang-2025-dembele-mbappe-pedri-lewandowski-vang-mat-19625092208130125.htm