Did the Ballon d'Or witness one of its biggest-ever robberies last night?

"Since 1956, the Ballon d'Or has been a prize steeped in prestige. But it's not without its fair share of controversy, either. Over the years, plenty have taken exception to the voting of the prize not least Real Madrid, who cancelled their delegation last year upon learning that Vinicius wasn't winning the award. So with the 2025 full standings revealed, have France Football delivered another dud?"

"The voting criteria for the Ballon d'Or is murky: is Vitinha really the third-best footballer on the planet right now ahead of Mohamed Salah or does Cole Palmer deserve to be voted eighth after so few non-penalty goals in 2025? Social media was rife with opinions on the men's top 10, though Ousmane Dembele was considered by most to be a fair winner."

"Aitana Bonmati won her third Ballon d'Or in a row yes, you could argue her to be the most talented women's footballer ever but compare her season to previous campaigns. The Spaniard lost the Women's Champions League final to Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo, whom she shared a podium with: she then lost a Euros final to Russo, who netted in the final, with Bonmati missing a penalty in the shootout."

"Russo enjoyed the season of her life as FWA Women's Footballer of the Year and the WSL Golden Boot winner, winning both major trophies this term; Caldentey, meanwhile, moved leagues to arguably become the best player in England in a much harder league and inspire her club to European glory. There's no doubting Bonmati's talent, but in an underwhelming season, she perhaps wasn't even Barcelona's key player or Spain's in their runs to finals."

Aitana Bonmati secured a third straight Ballon d'Or in 2025 despite an underwhelming season relative to key rivals. Bonmati lost the Women's Champions League final to Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo and missed a penalty as Spain lost the Euros final to Russo, who scored in that final. Alessia Russo earned FWA Women's Footballer of the Year and the WSL Golden Boot while winning major trophies. Mariona Caldentey moved to the English league, emerged as a leading player in tougher competition, and inspired her club to European success. The men's Ballon d'Or went to Ousmane Dembele amid debate over placements like Vitinha and Cole Palmer.

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