2025 Ballon d’Or: Osimhen, and 4 other big-name omissions from top 30 shortlist

The 2025 Ballon d’Or shortlist, revealed on August 7, 2025, featured luminaries like Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal, Mohamed Salah, and Jude Bellingham. Yet, some of football’s brightest performers missed the cut.

The shortlist has generated major debate, especially for those left out, as several standout performers were shockingly snubbed, despite exceptional seasons at club and international level.

Here are five glaring omissions from the 2025 Ballon d’Or shortlist, led by Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen.

Victor Osimhen’s exclusion is arguably the biggest snub of all. The Nigerian striker had a blistering 2024/25 campaign, netting 37 goals in just 41 appearances across the Turkish Super Lig, the UEFA Europa League, and domestic cups.

That tally made him the fifth-highest goalscorer across Europe’s top 10 leagues and competitions for the 2024/25 season.

More impressively, Osimhen outscored several Ballon d’Or nominees, including Mohamed Salah, Raphinha, Serhou Guirassy, and even frontrunner Ousmane Dembele.

Despite breaking several records while on loan at Galatasaray, Osimhen’s individual brilliance was left out of the top 30 entirely. Unfortunately, his omission shows a continued underappreciation for players who thrive outside Europe’s traditionally dominant leagues and clubs.

Moises Caicedo was Chelsea’s most influential player during a rollercoaster 2024/25 season. After a shaky start, the Ecuadorian evolved into the Blues' midfield engine.

He was crucial in their Conference League campaign, but his real moment came at the FIFA Club World Cup, where Chelsea stunned Champions League winners PSG in the final.

Caicedo’s ball-winning ability, positional intelligence, and relentless work ethic helped Chelsea return to the summit of world football after a dismal prior season.

He controlled the midfield against some of the world's best, including a dominant display in the final that drew comparisons with N’Golo Kanté and Casemiro at their peaks.

Many expected him to be listed alongside midfielders like Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz or Joao Neves, having bested them in the CWC final. Yet, somehow, the 23-year-old was left out of the Ballon d’Or 30, a decision some have put down to a lack of media attention rather than performance.

Few midfielders matched Bruno Fernandes' numbers in 2024/25. The Portuguese playmaker ended the season with 19 goals and 18 assists, despite playing for a struggling Manchester United side.

He was also the top scorer in the UEFA Europa League and led Portugal to UEFA Nations League glory. On a personal level, Bruno's season was one of efficiency, consistency, and big-match impact.

But Manchester United’s abysmal season weighed heavily against him. Voters often reward players from successful teams, and Fernandes fell victim to that trend.

Still, his creativity and contribution to both club and country made him one of the most productive midfielders in the world. It is difficult to understand how others with far fewer contributions earned a nomination ahead of him.

Ryan Gravenberch’s career resurgence has been remarkable. Cast aside by Bayern Munich, the Dutch midfielder joined Liverpool with little fanfare.

By season’s end, he was their standout performer. Gravenberch played a central role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph, earning both the Young Player of the Year award and a nomination for Premier League Player of the Year.

His transformation under new management turned him into one of Europe’s most complete midfielders, a box-to-box presence who controlled tempo, created chances, and even scored a goal here and there.

Yet, despite outperforming several of his Liverpool teammates, including Alexis Mac Allister and Virgil van Dijk, who made the Ballon d’Or list, Gravenberch was left out.

When PSG completed a historic treble, winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League, several of their stars earned Ballon d’Or recognition.

Dembele, Nuno Mendes, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and many others made the list, but captain Marquinhos did not. It is a curious oversight given the Brazilian's vital role in PSG’s backline throughout their campaign.

As captain, Marquinhos was a calming influence in high-pressure situations. He led by example, organising the defence and putting in several man-of-the-match-worthy performances, particularly in the Champions League knockout rounds.

While he may not have the flair of his attacking teammates, his leadership, discipline, and consistency were instrumental to PSG’s success, and his underappreciation by award voters is now among football’s great injustices.