Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham Plummet Down Ballon d'Or Rankings in Shocking Fall

Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham discovered their positions among the 30 nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, revealing a dramatic shift from their standings just twelve months earlier.

Bellingham was the first to learn his updated position, securing 23rd place in the 2025 Ballon d'Or rankings. Vinícius Júnior followed closely with a 16th place finish.

These positions represent a significant decline from both stars' 2024 achievements, when Bellingham claimed third place and Vinícius Júnior earned runner-up status. The English midfielder fell 20 spots while his Real Madrid colleague dropped 14 positions.

This dramatic decline follows Real Madrid's disappointing 2024–25 campaign. Los Blancos failed to secure any major silverware during Carlo Ancelotti's concluding season as manager, claiming runner-up positions in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. The Madrid club also crashed out of the Champions League at the quarterfinal stage.

Bellingham couldn't match his exceptional output from the previous year during Real Madrid's difficult period. The English star's goal contributions dropped from 36 in 2023–24 to 27 in the following season, despite featuring in 10 additional matches.

Vinícius Júnior's performance also declined; the Brazilian winger netted just 11 domestic league goals following what many viewed as an unfair omission from the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner's circle. The South American talent still accumulated 36 goal contributions throughout all competitions, though none proved decisive enough to secure trophies for his team.

Both Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior will aim to recover from their disappointing previous campaigns to assist Real Madrid in regaining their domestic and continental titles under new manager Xabi Alonso.