Paris is bracing for one of football’s most glittering nights as the 69th Ballon d’Or ceremony takes centre stage this evening at the Théâtre du Châtelet. The event, which kicks off at 8:00 PM Paris time, will crown the best footballers in the world for the 2024/25 season. But if you think tonight will be a quiet celebration of excellence, think again — this year’s ceremony is already drowning in controversy before the first name is called.
The Ballon d’Or is football’s most prestigious individual honour, awarded annually by France Football since 1956. It recognises the best player in the world, based on performances across a full season. The award has been the personal playground of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for over a decade — the duo have shared 13 titles between them — but for the second year running, neither of them will be in attendance. Football has officially entered a post-Messi-Ronaldo era, and the new generation is making sure we know it.
Their absence is a sign of a new age. And tonight’s contenders are ready to claim their throne — but controversy is already swirling in the Paris air.
Lamine Yamal — The Boy Who Could Become King
This could be the night football officially crowns its new face.
Lamine Yamal, just 18, is not only Barcelona’s present but its future. He played 65 matches across all competitions, scored 19 goals, provided 24 assists, and created 50 big chances with 115 key passes — all while winning a domestic treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup).
But stats only tell part of the story. Yamal’s big moments were season-defining:
Take El Clásico, for instance. For decades, this fixture has been the stage where legends are forged, and Yamal seemed to know it. Across 4 matches with Real Madrid, he delivered three goals and two assists, ripping apart Carlo Ancelotti’s backline with the kind of confidence that belied his age. The Bernabéu crowd watched in stunned silence as this teenager danced past veterans and delivered when it mattered most.
Then came Europe — the Champions League, where pressure crushes some and crowns others. Yamal made history by becoming the second-youngest scorer in Champions League history with his strike against Monaco. That goal didn’t come easy — Barcelona were down to 10 men after a red card and trailing 1–0, but Yamal found a way to score, keeping his team alive even though they eventually fell 2–1. It wasn’t just a goal, it was a statement: even in adversity, he delivers.
And when Barcelona needed him most, he lifted them again. In the semi-final against Inter Milan, the team was already 2–0 down at home, staring at disaster. Yamal took responsibility — cutting in from the right, gliding past two defenders, and unleashing a curling strike from outside the box. It was the goal that woke up the Camp Nou, sparking belief and igniting a comeback that ended 3–3. The strike was later voted UEFA Goal of the Season, and many are calling it one of the greatest goals in Champions League history.
But Yamal’s rise hasn’t been without controversy. Earlier this year, he made headlines off the pitch with his extravagant 18th birthday party, where videos surfaced showing a lavish celebration that some critics called “immature and excessive.” Ballon d’Or voters are known to consider not just footballing brilliance but also a player’s class and behaviour on and off the pitch, and this has fueled debate about whether such displays of luxury could affect his chances. Yet, his supporters argue that this is just a teenager enjoying his moment — and that it shouldn’t overshadow his breathtaking season.
And now, with news that he will arrive in Paris tonight with 20 family members and his girlfriend, the whispers have only grown louder — does Yamal already know he’s about to be crowned the youngest Ballon d’Or winner ever, or is this just confidence from a boy who’s already playing like a man?
Raphinha — The Snub Everyone Fears
No one can argue against the season Raphinha had. If the Ballon d’Or truly rewards the best season, Raphinha has a claim stronger than anyone. The Brazilian winger played 69 matches, scored 38 goals, delivered 26 assists — a monstrous 64 goal involvements, 43 big chances created, and 167 key passes.
If Barcelona’s resurgence this season had a soundtrack, Raphinha was the one holding the microphone.
It started with Bayern Munich — the club that had haunted Barcelona since the humiliating 8–2 loss in 2020. Every meeting after that had been another scar: a 3–0 defeat and a 2–0 defeat in the following seasons. But this time was different. This time, Barcelona had Raphinha. On a cold Champions League night, he scored a hat-trick and assisted another in a stunning 4–1 victory over Bayern, finally burying the ghosts of the past and rewriting the narrative. The Montjuic Stadium erupted, and for many fans, this was the night Barcelona felt like Barcelona again.
Then came El Clásico, the game that defines legends. Across four matches, Raphinha was a nightmare for Real Madrid’s backline, scoring four goals and providing two assists. His goals weren’t just numbers — they were daggers, each one delivered in a game where the entire football world was watching. For Barcelona supporters, it felt like the balance of power was tipping back in their favour.
And then came that unforgettable night against Benfica, already being called one of the greatest Champions League games ever. Barcelona were 4–1 down, the clock ticking, hope fading. Raphinha struck the second goal, sparking belief, and then delivered the dramatic late winner, sealing a miraculous 5–4 comeback victory that will be replayed for years. He didn’t score them all, but he scored the ones that mattered most — the ones that turned despair into ecstasy.
And he saved his best for Europe’s most critical stages. Against Dortmund in the quarter-finals, he scored both home and away, showing he could deliver over two legs. Then, in the semi-finals against Inter Milan, he struck again — a crucial goal that kept Barcelona alive in a tie that could have gone either way.
With 69 games played, 38 goals, 26 assists, 64 goal contributions, 167 key passes, and 43 big chances created, Raphinha wasn’t just Barcelona’s best player — he was arguably Europe’s most complete attacker this season. Yet, despite being La Liga’s Player of the Tournament, Champions League top scorer, and the player with the most combined goals and assists across Europe, rumours suggest he might not even make the Ballon d’Or top three.
And that’s where the debate begins. Has football’s most prestigious award become about hype rather than output? Raphinha’s fans argue that no player has been more decisive, more relentless, or more deserving this season. If he is overlooked, tonight could go down as one of the most controversial Ballon d’Or ceremonies in history.
Ousmane Dembélé — The Redemption Arc
If Raphinha was Barcelona’s engine, Dembélé was PSG’s firecracker.
Once dismissed as injury-prone and inconsistent, Dembélé’s 2024/25 campaign is his personal redemption arc. The Frenchman played 59 matches, scored 33 goals, provided 13 assists, created 25 big chances, and delivered 113 key passes — while leading PSG to four trophies.
But most importantly, Dembélé delivered when it mattered most:
It began in the Champions League group stages, with Paris Saint-Germain staring down the possibility of elimination. Their final group match was against Manchester City, and they needed a result to qualify. The game was tense, the clock was running out, and City were threatening to kill PSG’s campaign early. Then Dembélé struck — a decisive, clinical goal that turned a potential disaster into triumph and sent PSG through to the knockouts. It wasn’t just a goal; it was a lifeline.
In the Round of 16, PSG were up against Liverpool — one of Europe’s most dangerous knockout teams. The tie was hanging by a thread when Dembélé once again stepped up, finding the net in a nervy, high-pressure clash to ensure PSG made it to the quarter-finals. His goal was described by pundits as “calm in chaos,” the kind of finish that only a big-game player delivers.
But the moment that truly defined his season came at the Emirates Stadium in the semi-final against Arsenal. PSG needed something special to avoid a heartbreak exit — and Dembélé delivered. Picking up the ball on the edge of the box, he weaved past two defenders and smashed home the winning goal that sent PSG to the Champions League final. The stadium fell silent, the PSG bench exploded, and Dembélé’s teammates swarmed him. For many fans, this was the night he finally stepped out of the shadow of his critics and became PSG’s talisman.
With 59 games played, 33 goals, 13 assists, 46 goal contributions, 113 key passes, 25 big chances created, and 4 trophies, Dembélé’s season was nothing short of sensational. More importantly, he showed up every time it mattered — whether it was to drag PSG through the group stages, keep them alive in the knockouts, or fire them into a historic Champions League final.
And now, as the Ballon d’Or looms, many wonder if Dembélé’s redemption story will be rewarded. After years of being written off, tonight could be the night he takes his place among football’s elite.
Mohamed Salah — The Relentless King
While Europe debates new stars, Mohamed Salah just keeps doing what he always does — deliver. The Egyptian forward played 61 games, scored 34 goals, and provided 23 assists across all competitions. In the Premier League, he was untouchable — winning the Golden Boot, the Playmaker Award, and the Premier League Player of the Season, while helping Liverpool reclaim the league title.
Salah turned up in the biggest games, from title deciders to crunch derbies, proving once again why he’s one of the most consistent elite players of the modern era.
But will consistency beat the “wow factor” of Yamal’s youth, Raphinha’s drama, and Dembélé’s redemption? That will be answered tonight at the Ballon d’Or gala.
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