Premier League Powerhouses Battle for Ballon d'Or Glory: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City Stars Vie for Football's Ultimate Prize
The 2025 Ballon d'Or discussions officially began on Thursday as nominees were announced across various categories.
Athletes, teams and managers were selected for football's most prestigious awards, with several major English clubs leading the nominations. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City collectively earned 35 nominations spanning the Ballon d'Or, Kopa Trophy, Yashin Trophy, Club and Coach of the Year awards for both men's and women's football.
Ballon d'Or 2025 Nominees: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City
Arsenal Ballon d'Or 2025 Nominations
Club/Player/Coach | Award Nomination |
|---|---|
Michelle Agyemang | Women's Kopa Trophy |
Myles Lewis-Skelly | Men's Kopa Trophy |
Daphne van Domselaar | Women's Yashin Trophy |
David Raya | Men's Yashin Trophy |
Renée Slegers | Women's Coach of the Year |
Arsenal | Women's Club of the Year |
Declan Rice | Men's Ballon d'Or |
Viktor Gyökeres | Men's Ballon d'Or |
Mariona Caldentey | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Steph Catley | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Emily Fox | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Chloe Kelley | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Frida Maanum | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Alessia Russo | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Leah Williamson | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Arsenal secured the highest number of nominations among all clubs in both men's and women's divisions with 15 total. This ranks as the second-highest for any European club, trailing only Barcelona with 17 nominations.
Though Arsenal's men's team faces long odds in multiple categories, the women's squad concluded their campaign by claiming their second UEFA Women's Champions League title, defeating Barcelona in the final. Several Arsenal Women nominees, including Alessia Russo, Leah Williamson and Chloe Kelly, also helped England capture the UEFA Women's Euro championship this summer.
Discussion surrounding Arsenal Women's candidates will likely continue until the September ceremony.
Liverpool Ballon d'Or 2025 Nominations
Club/Player/Coach | Award Nomination |
|---|---|
Florian Wirtz | Men's Ballon d'Or |
Virgil van Dijk | Men's Ballon d'Or |
Alexis Mac Allister | Men's Ballon d'Or |
Mohamed Salah | Men's Ballon d'Or |
Alisson | Men's Yashin Trophy |
Arne Slot | Men's Coach of the Year |
Liverpool | Men's Club of the Year |
Liverpool earned seven nominations across four separate categories. Mohamed Salah established himself as an early Ballon d'Or contender with an impressive season start, though the team's struggles in domestic and European competitions may hinder the chances of players, staff and the club winning any awards.
Chelsea Ballon d'Or 2025 Nominations
Club/Player/Coach | Award Nomination |
|---|---|
Cole Palmer | Men's Ballon d'Or |
Sandy Baltimore | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Lucy Bronze | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Hannah Hampton | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd | Women's Ballon d'Or |
Estêvão | Men's Kopa Trophy |
Wieke Kaptein | Women's Kopa Trophy |
Hannah Hampton | Women's Yashin Trophy |
Enzo Maresca | Men's Coach of the Year |
Sonia Bompastor | Women's Coach of the Year |
Chelsea | Men's Club of the Year |
Chelsea | Women's Club of the Year |
Chelsea stands as one of only two clubs nominated for both men's and women's Club of the Year honors. The other? Barcelona. Chelsea Women achieved a domestic treble, claiming the Women's Super League title once more alongside the FA and League Cup trophies. The men's team pulled off an unexpected double, capturing both the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup.
Chelsea garnered the second-highest number of nominations among English clubs with 12, trailing only Arsenal but ranking fourth overall among all European clubs.
Manchester City Ballon d'Or 2025 Nominations
Player | Award Nomination |
|---|---|
Erling Haaland | Men's Ballon d'Or |
Manchester City, following a disappointing season where the Citizens failed to secure any silverware, received just one nomination: Erling Haaland for the men's Ballon d'Or. The Norwegian forward remains among the world's elite, but his chances of succeeding Rodri as a Ballon d'Or winner appear unlikely.
Other English Sides to Receive Nominations
Three additional English clubs earned nominations: all in the Yashin Trophy categories:
Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman also received a nomination for women's Coach of the Year.