Dembélé, Kelly Lead Ballon d'Or Contenders in Paris Ceremony

The 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris will honor the best male and female footballers of the 2024/25 season, with Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembélé and England's Chloe Kelly as leading contenders. Dembélé played a crucial role in PSG's historic treble-winning season and is among nine PSG players nominated, while Kelly secured the decisive penalty in England's women's European Championship win and also won the women's Champions League with Arsenal. Other top male nominees include Barcelona's teenage star Lamine Yamal and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, the latter expressing strong hopes for winning the award after a remarkable season. PSG's Achraf Hakimi also made a compelling case for the award due to his exceptional performances as a defender in multiple competitions. The ceremony is notable for scheduling conflicts that prevent many PSG players from attending due to a rescheduled league match, although Dembélé and some injured nominees are expected to be present. Former Barcelona legend Ronaldinho is set to present the awards, adding prestige to the event.