Paris, France | September 22, 2025
The organisers of the Ballon d’Or have unveiled the first set of rankings for the 2025 edition, releasing the players placed between 30th and 26th.
Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise claimed the 30th spot, followed by Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz at 29th.
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk was ranked 28th, while Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice secured 27th position.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland was announced in 26th place, a development that immediately sparked reactions among football fans.
The partial list was published on the Ballon d’Or’s official X account on Monday afternoon as part of the build-up to the full award ceremony.
The rankings above 25 are still to be revealed, with the eventual winner of the prestigious prize expected to be announced later in the evening.
The Ballon d’Or, presented annually in Paris, honours the best footballer in the world over the past season and remains one of the sport’s most coveted individual awards.