Who will win this year's "Ballon d'Or"? Goal magazine has updated the list of favorites!

The race for the 'Ballon d'Or', considered the most prestigious individual award in the world of football, has entered a heated phase. Goal magazine has announced the updated rankings of the favorite players for the 2025 award. After the Champions League semi-final matches, there have been several significant changes in the rankings, and a new leader has emerged in the top five.

Currently, the top spot is held by Ousmane Dembele, who is having an outstanding season at France's Paris Saint-Germain. This speedy forward, who was ranked 5th in the previous list, has become a main favorite due to his successful performances in the Champions League and his effective participation in the French championship.

In second place is the 17-year-old sensation Lamin Yamal from Barcelona. This young star, who has been showing excellent results throughout the season, is widely regarded by many experts as a leading candidate for this year's 'Ballon d'Or'.

It should be noted that Rafinha, who held the first position in the previous ranking, has dropped to third place. The Brazilian player's decline in the rankings is linked to Barcelona's defeat in the Champions League semi-finals. However, he remains one of the most effective players in Europe this season.

The strong five is rounded out by Lautaro Martinez, the Argentine striker from Inter, and Mohamed Salah, the main star of Liverpool.

According to Goal's interpretation, the strong 20 players contending for the 2025 'Ballon d'Or' are as follows:

1. Ousmane Dembele – “Paris Saint-Germain” (France) – Forward
2. Lamin Yamal – “Barcelona” (Spain) – Forward
3. Rafinha – “Barcelona” (Brazil) – Forward
4. Lautaro Martinez – “Inter” (Argentina) – Forward
5. Mohamed Salah – “Liverpool” (Egypt) – Forward
6. Kylian Mbappe – “Real Madrid” (France) – Forward
7. Pedri – “Barcelona” (Spain) – Midfielder
8. Gianluigi Donnarumma – “Paris Saint-Germain” (Italy) – Goalkeeper
9. Harry Kane – “Bayern Munich” (England) – Forward
10. Robert Lewandowski – “Barcelona” (Poland) – Forward
11. Vinicius Junior – “Real Madrid” (Brazil) – Forward
12. Vitinha – “Paris Saint-Germain” (Portugal) – Midfielder
13. Alessandro Bastoni – “Inter” (Italy) – Defender
14. Nicolo Barella – “Inter” (Italy) – Midfielder
15. Marcus Thuram – “Inter” (France) – Forward
16. Bukayo Saka – “Arsenal” (England) – Forward
17. Declan Rice – “Arsenal” (England) – Midfielder
18. Jude Bellingham – “Real Madrid” (England) – Midfielder
19. Jamal Musiala – “Bayern Munich” (Germany) – Midfielder
20. Virgil van Dijk – “Liverpool” (Netherlands) – Defender

Thus, football fans can once again witness heated debates to determine the best player in European football. While young stars are showing impressive results this year, it is emphasized that Ousmane Dembele's position is very strong.

The Zamin.uz editorial team will closely monitor how the fate of the prestigious individual award 'Ballon d'Or' will be decided. Who do you think might win this year's award?