Ballon d'Or Nominees: PSG Dominates as Italian Players Miss Out

The 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony is heading to London for an October 26 event that marks a major shift for football's most prestigious individual prize. According to journalist Alessandro Grandesso, the shortlist features thirty nominees dominated by Paris Saint-Germain stars, while Italian football faces a stark reality with just one club representative and zero player nominations. Here is what you need to know about the upcoming gala, the top contenders, and the surprising exclusions shaking up the sport. London Calling: A New Venue and UEFA Partnership The Ballon d'Or is packing its bags. For the first time, the ceremony moves from its traditional home in Paris to London, arriving on October 26. According to Grandesso, this year's gala also introduces a first-time organizational and promotional partnership with UEFA. The timeline considered for this edition runs from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, putting peak performance in continental and international play under the microscope. A panel consisting of one hundred reporters hailing from the hundred leading FIFA nations selects the victor, assessing competitors on fair play, trophies, prestige, team accomplishments, dramatic and aesthetic appeal, and individual display, based on Grandesso's insights. Paris Saint-Germain Dominates the Thirty-Man Shortlist Paris Saint-Germain anchors the shortlist following another strong European campaign. Grandesso points out that the running includes athletes such as Ousmane Dembélé, Khvitcha Kvaratskhelia, and Fabián Ruiz alongside fellow club members Willian Pacho, Ferran Torres, Vitinha, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Achraf Hakimi, and Kylian Mbappé—though Mbappé has since transferred to Real Madrid. Ligue 1's heavy footprint stands in sharp contrast to other leagues. Having previously secured the prize in the French capital, Dembélé conveyed via Grandesso his expectation that the trophy will stay with a Parisian teammate, even though he personally casts ballots for colleagues like Mbappé, Kane, or Kvaratskhelia. Meanwhile, Real Madrid's Vinícius Jr., who led the scoring charts in La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup, told Grandesso, 'I vote for me, are of the idea of being able to win it already this year.' Global Contenders and the Italian Absence Moving outside of the French metropolis, Lamine Yamal of Barcelona enters the conversation after claiming the runner-up spot in the previous edition. Yamal told Grandesso, 'I think I have a good bit of possibility too, because I've done a great season.' Photo: sport.quotidiano.net Grandesso notes that Yamal is likewise in the running for the young player accolade, where he encounters opposition from Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Diomandé (Real Madrid), Karl (Bayern Munich), Alajbegovic (Juventus), Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain), Bouaddi (Manchester City), Kroupi (Bournemouth), Manzambi (Aston Villa), and Maza (Bayer Leverkusen). Michel Platini also favors Kvaratskhelia for the main prize, according to Grandesso. However, the big story for Serie A is a glaring omission. Pointing out a complete void of Italian women or men among the player and club contenders, Grandesso notes that Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez stands as the sole exception for the country's clubs. The total absence of players with Italian nationality on the thirty-man shortlist and the shocking exclusion of Gianluigi Donnarumma from the list of the ten best goalkeepers in the world underline a wider struggle for the peninsula's football movement. Trophies for Goalkeepers, Managers, and Women's Contenders Within the goalkeeper division, Gianluigi Donnarumma drops out of contention following his Ballon d'Or victories for the role in 2021 and 2025, with Matvey Safonov taking his place for Paris Saint-Germain, as detailed by Grandesso. Also making the Yashin Trophy shortlist are Dibu Martinez, Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli), Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Garcia (Barcelona), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), and forty-year-old Vozinha (Colo-Colo), who earned his spot following an impressive World Cup run representing Cape Verde. Photo: en.lasicilia.it Regarding managerial candidates, Grandesso points out that four out of the five finalists hail from Spain: Unai Emery, who won the Europa League with Aston Villa; Luis Enrique; Spain's national team boss De La Fuente; and Manchester City finalist Arteta, alongside Vincent Kompany of Bayern Munich. Regarding the women's division, Grandesso indicates that Aitana Putellas of Barcelona enters as the frontrunner to secure a third Ballon d'Or after her earlier triumphs in 2021 and 2022, with competition coming from Como's Tessa Wullaert.