Presented by France Football each fall, the Ballon d'Or honors the best football player globally for the previous season, spanning from August to July.
The award ceremony, now organized in collaboration with UEFA, celebrates the top male and female players in the sport.
Salah's candidacy has sparked debate, particularly as he did not secure the Champions League title.
Nevertheless, he played a pivotal role in Liverpool's unexpected title challenge, finishing the campaign with an impressive tally of 34 goals and 23 assists, carving his name in Premier League history as he matched records previously set during 42-game seasons.
Last season, the 33-year-old forward finished 11th in the Ballon d'Or standings, marking his lowest position since he first became a contender for the award.
His highest ranking came in 2019 when he placed fifth, a position he matched again at the 2022 Ballon d'Or gala.
The nomination list also features Salah's Liverpool teammates, midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz, as well as Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk.
PSG’s treble-winning season and their maiden Champions League victory have resulted in 10 nominations from their squad, including Dembele, who is considered Salah’s main competitor with his 36 goals and 13 assists across competitions for both club and country. Other PSG nominees include Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Nuno Mendes, and Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi.
Barcelona's domestic double and impressive Champions League run have earned Raphinha and Pedri nominations, alongside emerging star Yamal.
Ballon d’Or 2025 Nominees List:
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool & Egypt)
Ousmane Dembele (PSG & France)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG & Italy)
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid & England)
Desire Doue (PSG & France)
Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan & Netherlands)
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund & Guinea)
Erling Haaland (Man City & Norway)
Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal & Sweden)
Achraf Hakimi (PSG & Morocco)
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich & England)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG & Georgia)
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona & Poland)
Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool & Argentina)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan & Argentina)
Scott McTominay (Napoli & Scotland)
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid & France)
Nuno Mendes (PSG & Portugal)
Joao Neves (PSG & Portugal)
Pedri (Barcelona & Spain)
Cole Palmer (Chelsea & England)
Michael Olise (Bayern Munich & France)
Raphinha (Barcelona & Brazil)
Declan Rice (Arsenal & England)
Fabian Ruiz (PSG & Spain)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool & Netherlands)
Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid & Brazil)
Florian Wirtz (Liverpool & Germany)
Vitinha (PSG & Portugal)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona & Spain)
For the first time in many years, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are not included among the nominees, showing a shift toward a new generation of football stars.
The 2025 Ballon d'Or will be awarded at a ceremony on Monday, 22 September, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link: