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Pulse Sports highlights the African players who deserve to make the 2025 Ballon d’Or shortlist after an impressive 2024-25 campaign.
The Ballon d’Or is considered the most prestigious individual football award and those who have been awarded stand heads and shoulders above the rest.
However, not everyone who deserves it gets it, as it is down to a number of factors, but those who are nominated get there after impressive campaigns for club and country.
African players have, however, not been lucky on this front as only Liberian George Weah has ever been awarded the Ballon d’Or award, having been feted in 1995.
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Over the years, a number of African footballers have come close such as Samuel Eto’o, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah and in 2025, a number of them have put themselves in the conversation yet again.
7 African Footballers Who Deserve Ballon d'Or 2025 Recognition
7. Fiston Mayele
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The Ballon d’Or panel rarely recognises players based in Africa when selecting their initial nominees but doesn’t Congolese striker Fiston Mayele deserve to be on the list?
Mayele has been the most outstanding player on the continent this season after guiding rank outsiders Pyramids to their first-ever CAF Champions League title, ending as the tournament’s top scorer with nine goals.
He also got the Egyptian side close to winning the league and ended 2024-25 with 18 goals and four assists, leading to speculation about a big-money move to Saudi Arabia.
6. Ronwen Williams
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South African Ronwen Williams is the reigning African Goalkeeper of the Year and became the first African-based player to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or when he made the list last year.
His influence has not waned, neither are his performances, and played a key part in Mamelodi Sundowns winning an eighth straight league title, reaching the CAF Champions League final and is part of the team at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Blessed with great reflexes, good shot-stopping that make him an asset on penalties, Williams is also known for his abilities to play out from the back, and will not be a surprise if he makes the Ballon d’Or shortlist again.
5. Ademola Lookman
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Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman was on the Ballon d’Or shortlist last year and will likely make the list this year again after playing a key part as Atalanta finished third in Serie A and qualified for the Champions League.
The reigning African Footballer of the Year had 27 goal involvements in 40 matches, scoring 20 goals while providing seven assists, which should see him make the list.
4. Serhou Guirassy
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Guinea forward Serhou Guirassy continued from where he left off in 2023-24 as he guided his new employers Borussia Dortmund to Champions League qualification after emerging as the Bundesliga’s second highest scorer with 21 goals last term.
Overall, Guirassy, who made a €45 million move from Stuttgart to Dortmund, scored 34 goals in 46 games across all competitions and still weighed in with nine assists, which should be enough for a Ballon d’or nomination.
3. Achraf Hakimi
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Paris Saint-Germain’s Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi had a perfect season as the French giants won the treble of league, cup and Champions League and he played a major part.
Hakimi weighed in with nine goals and 14 assists, a wonderful return from a right-back, including a goal in the Champions League final rout of Inter Milan.
Hakimi will no doubt be among the top 10 Ballon d’Or finalists and is hot favourite for the African Footballer of the Year award.
2. Victor Osimhen
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Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen is a hot property as he is wanted by nearly every club in the globe and it is not hard to understand why.
Osimhen is off a great season in Turkey when he scored 37 goals in 41 games for Galatasaray as they won the league and cup double and also named Player of the Season.
That great return makes the 2023 African Player of the Year a shoo-in for a Ballon d’Or shout and there will be few complaints if he makes the podium.
1. Mohamed Salah
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One of the favourites to win the award, it is largely accepted that the 2025 Ballon d’Or will be down to Liverpool’s Egyptian king Mohamed Salah and PSG’s Ousmane Dembele with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal among the rank outsiders.
Salah led Liverpool to the Premier League title, breaking more records, having scored 34 goals and added 23 assists in 52 games in all competitions.
The 33-year-old was the Premier League Player of the Season after 29 goals, which brought a fourth Golden Boot in eight years at Anfield, and had 18 assists in the league, a new record.
This is the best possible moment to end Africa’s wait for a Ballon d’Or winner.
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