With the 2024/25 domestic season now behind us following the Champions League final, a big talking point is the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
Paris Saint-Germain produced a stunning display against Inter Milan with a 5-0 victory, the biggest margin in a European final, which has resulted in numerous of their stars being tipped to lift the famous individual honour later this year, with the ceremony scheduled to take place in Paris on 22 September 2025.
The next 10 Ballon d'Or winners predicted by AI
Who could win the Ballon d’Or across the next ten years?
ByMatt Dawson
However, Grok, the AI tool on X, has already predicted the top 10 standings for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, and there is one surprise inclusion.
AI 2025 Ballon d’Or top 10 in pictures:
Rank
Player
Age
Club
Nation
Ousmane Dembele
27
PSG
France
Lamine Yamal
17
Barcelona
Spain
Raphinha
28
Barcelona
Brazil
Mohamed Salah
32
Liverpool
Egypt
Lautaro Martinez
27
Inter Milan
Argentina
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
24
PSG
Georgia
Pedri
22
Barcelona
Spain
Kylian Mbappe
26
Real Madrid
France
Desire Doue
20
PSG
France
Gianluigi Donnarumma
26
PSG
Italy
10 Gianluigi Donnarumma PSG and Italy
One of four Paris Saint-Germain players on the list is Gianluigi Donnarumma. In fact, the Italian is the only goalkeeper in AI’s top 10 list, so he could quite easily take home the Yashin Trophy for the best keeper in the world.
Donnarumma kept his 12th clean sheet of the season in Munich against Inter, helping PSG to a treble as well as the French Super Cup at the beginning of the year.
Games
54
Clean sheets
12
Trophies
4
9 Desire Doue PSG and France
Someone who has really burst onto the scene in 2025 is Paris Saint-Germain winger Desire Doue, and he has deservedly snuck into AI’s top 10 prediction.
The 20-year-old was the star of the show in Munich, scoring two goals and getting an assist in the Champions League final. As a result of his impressive displays, he was named the 24/25 Champions League Young Player of the Season.
Games
54
Goals
15
Assists
16
Trophies
4
8 Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid and France
Despite not winning any major honours in his first season at the Bernabeu aside from the Super Cup, Kylian Mbappe still had a brilliant individual campaign with Real Madrid.
The French superstar actually scored more goals than any other Real Madrid player in their first season at the club (43), including two brilliant hat-tricks against Man City and Barcelona.
Games
56
Goals
43
Assists
5
Trophies
1
7 Pedri Barcelona and Spain
With Barcelona lifting the Supercopa de Espana, Copa del Rey and La Liga in the 24/25 season, there was always going to be some Catalan stars on the list.
Pedri has been key to Barca’s success, playing just shy of 60 games in all competitions. He was also dubbed “the best midfielder in the world” by Thiago Alcantara, and it looks as if he’ll soon be entering the prime years of his career.
Games
59
Goals
6
Assists
8
Trophies
3
6 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia PSG and Georgia
Winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was a machine in 24/25, starring on the flank with his speed and skill. In the first half of the season, he impressed for Napoli before joining Paris Saint-Germain in January, and he’d go on to help the French giants to a treble, scoring in the Champions League final.
Napoli also won Serie A, meaning Kvaratskhelia became just the second player in history after Alvaro Odriozola to win two league titles and a treble in the same season.
Games
44
Goals
12
Assists
9
Trophies
4
5 Lautaro Martinez Inter Milan and Argentina
Despite not winning any major honours in 24/25, Inter Milan did come close in the Champions League, Italian Super Cup and Serie A title race.
Captain Lautaro Martinez was influential for his side and led them to Munich, scoring nine goals in 14 European appearances. However, with Inter not lifting any silverware, it is surprising to still see the Argentine’s name rank so highly.
Games
49
Goals
22
Assists
7
4 Mohamed Salah Liverpool and Egypt
After setting a record for the most goals and assists in a 38-game Premier League season and lifting the title with Liverpool, Mohamed Salah was always going to be in AI’s top 10 list.
The winger also committed his future to the Reds in 24/25, but after exiting the Champions League to the hands of eventual winners PSG in the last 16, Salah’s wait for a Ballon d’Or could go on.
Games
52
Goals
34
Assists
23
Trophies
1
3 Raphinha Barcelona and Brazil
Many thought Raphinha was in pole position to win the Ballon d’Or for large parts of the 24/25 season, however, Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final exit to Inter Milan may have dented his hopes.
The Brazilian still enjoyed a phenomenal campaign, which was actually the best of his career to date. In total, Raphinha contributed to 59 goals in 57 games, winning the Supercopa de Espana, Copa del Rey and La Liga.
Games
57
Goals
34
Assists
25
Trophies
3
2 Lamine Yamal Barcelona and Spain
On the other flank to Raphinha at Barcelona, Lamine Yamal continues to grow into a worldwide superstar at the age of 17. Interestingly, Yamal contributed to 16 fewer goals than Raphinha in 24/25 but is above him in AI’s predicted Ballon d’Or standings.
Cutting in from the right and scoring with his left has become a trademark move by the Spaniard, and it feels like a matter of time until the award is his. Yamal doesn’t lack belief, though, and has admitted he thinks he can win the Ballon d’Or this year.
Games
55
Goals
18
Assists
25
Trophies
3
1 Ousmane Dembele PSG and France
Leading the way as AI’s predicted 2025 Ballon d’Or winner is Ousmane Dembele. The French winger helped Paris Saint-Germain to a treble as well as the French Super Cup. The Ligue 1 and Champions Legaue Player of the Season also enjoyed the best year of his career in the final third with 33 goals and 15 assists.
Talking after the Champions League final, PSG boss Luis Enrique backed his star winger to lift the award, saying: “Everyone is talking about the Ballon d’Or, but I would give it to Ousmane Dembele just because if we think about how he defended today, he showed just what he was made of.
“He was a leader, he was humble, he got back down [the pitch] and he defended, and I think that without a shadow of a doubt he deserves this, not only for the goals that he scored but also for the pressing that was seen. We’ve seen such a season from him, but he was exceptional in this final.”
Games
49
Goals
33
Assists
15
Trophies
4