Who is the 24-25 Ballon D'or Winner?

Written By: Ved Karkathar

Meaning of the Trophy

    The Ballon D'or is the single most prestigious and meaningful trophy a single player can achieve. Having the ability to say "I am the best soccer or football player on the planet." Is not a sentence anybody can say. The past decade has been predominantly won by players such as Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, players who are widely  considered to be the two greatest players of all time. While there were a few outliers, such as Rodri in 2024, Karim Benzema in 2022, and Luca Modric in 2018. Every other year has been awarded to either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi going back until 2008, with Messi winning eight and Ronaldo five. Even before their time, players such as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo Nazario, Johan Cruyff, Zinedine Zidane, and Roberto Baggio are just few of the many players who have won this award since it was first awarded to Stanley Mathews in 1956. 

Possible Candidates for 24-25

    There have been many world class players this last season who al deserve a shout for their performances and numbers they have put up. Players like Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint Germann), Raphina (Barcelona) , Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Mohammad Salah (Liverpool), Pedri (Barcelona), Vitinha (Paris Saint Germann), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Kylan Mbappe (Real Madrid), and even a defender like Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint Germann) even deserves a shout for the award. They have all had tremendous seasons and all deserve the award. Sadly, only one can win it.

My Top 4

• Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint Germann)

                    The Stats and trophies speak for themselves. Across 53 matches all season he has somehow managed to score 35 goals, and rack up 16 assists. While doing do PSG won Ligue 1, The Coupe De France, the Trophy des Champions, and most importantly the Champions League. While also getting to the final of the club World Cup, but ultimately losing to Chelsea.

• Raphina (Barcalona)

                    In 57 matches across all competitions, the Brazilian right winger scored 34 goals and grabbed 25 assists. While also captaining Barcelona to champions of LaLiga, the Copa del Ray, and Supercopa de Espana. With having so many haters when we started the season, and with Barcelona's attempt to sign a different right winger in Nico Williams last summer, Raphina did not let that bother him. He has cemented himself has a key player to the future of Barcelonas squad.

• Mohammad Salah (Liverpool)

                   While the only trophy Liverpool had managed to win this season was the Premiere League, Salah defiantly deserves a chance for the Ballon D'or strictly off of his numbers. The Egyptian winger managed to score 34 goals and get 23 assists in just 52 matches. It was sad to see them getting eliminated from the Champions league so early by PSG in a penalty shootout, but the whole world should be excited to watch them next year with the addition of their many new signings like Florian Wirtz, Jeremy Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and possibly Hugo Ekitike while that dead is still being negotiated. 

• Lamine Yamal (Barcalona)

                 While being just seventeen years of age, in 55 matches he scored 18 goals and grabbed 25 assists. While also being a key player to the champions of LaLiga, Copa del Ray, and Supercopa. While Yamal was outscored by two of his other teammates, being Raphina and Robert Lewandowski, any person who watched the game can tell you how much the Spanish teenager changed the game. Even if he does not lift the trophy this year, it will be a huge surprise to everyone if he does not lift multiple in years to come. 

My Winner

     Honestly no matter who wins the award, we can not be upset. All the players listed above deserve it and it is such a tough choice to make. If I were the deciding factor, my vote would be given to either Raphina or Dembele. I think if PSG managed to beat Chelsea I the Club World Cup, Dembele would absolutely deserve it one hundred percent, but since they did not, it gave Raphina a big edge. I would personally give my vote to Raphina due to the numbers he put up, scoring only 1 less goal than dembele but also getting 9 more assists. Keep in mind Barcalona are competing in a tougher league being LaLiga, compared to Dembele competing in weaker competition being League 1. While the trophies Dembele won were absolutely deserved, we also have to take a look at the strength of the team around him, as well as the champions league numbers. Just in the UCL, Raphina had more goals, more assists, and more chances created, while still losing in the semi finals. It can really go either way but my personal vote, slightly edges in Raphina's favor. 

Lamine Yamal: Next global superstar or future what if?

       

Lamine Yamal: Next Global Superstar or Future What If?

Written By: Ved Karkathar

     Lamine Yamal at the ripe age of 17 years old has taken the world by storm. The way he can dribble past defenders that are doubled his age, then cut inside and slot his outside the box shot into the top corner of the net like he has been doing this for 25+ years is remarkable. We have not seen this kind of talent in the soccer/ football community in so many years. In his 55 matches played with F.C. Barcelona in the 2024-2025 season, he managed to contribute to 43 goals. Playing off the right, pairing off with the legend striker Robert Lewandowski running in the middle, and the season breakout that was Raphina off the left flank, he was destined for greatness. 

    Gaining the Number Ten

    While there was no negatives with his performances on the pitch, there have been some concerns and speculations with his actions off the pitch. Recently gaining the legendary number ten jersey at Barcelona this last week, a lot of people concern that it is too much pressure to wear it. As having the number ten shirt at Barcelona is an honor and not a task that the ordinary person could handle. Being worn by the likes of Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona, Rivaldo, and Juan Roman Riquelme. These speculations and concerns are due to the player who most recently wore the shirt before Lamine, being Ansu Fati. An absolute breakout star in the 2019-2020 season, then was gifted the number ten shirt by Barcelona and had a huge fall off, getting thrown to the bench, being loaned to Brighton in the Premiere League, and now is off the Barcelona roster, and has signed for AS Monaco in the French league. Although he did have a lot of unlucky injuries which people worry could happen to Yamal if he does not get rested more often. Playing 55 games for FC Barcelona, including champions league, Copa del Ray, and La Liga all as a teenager is a lot to bare. If Lamine wants to keep going down this path and carve him self a future that could rival the legacies of Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele, and more, he is going to have to take it easy on the pitch, as well as keep his actions controlled off the pitch. 

   Recent Controversy

     Recently some allegations have come to light regarding his eighteenth birthday party. Yamal allegedly hired performers with dwarfism to serve drinks, dance, and do magic acts. The Association for People with Achondroplasia & Other Skeletal Dysplasias (ADEE) denounced this as demeaning and filed a legal complaint. It is important to note that one of the workers have come out and stated that they were happily employed, treated respectfully, and participated legally as professional entertainers. Sources have also claimed to have spotted the young Spanish international on vacation with a 35 year old OnlyFans star. 

My Analysis

  In my personal opinion, especially being a die hard Barcelona fan for my entire life, I love Lamine Yamal. The flare and personality he brings onto the pitch is not really seen that much in the game today and it is what the sport needs. He’s got amazing dribbling, great vision, and plays with real maturity for his age. He’s smart on the ball, knows when to pass or take on defenders, and already looks at home at the top level. Still growing as a finisher, but the talent is clear. People do not realize that the levels of fame, money and attention, he has been getting since he debuted for the senior team at the age of fifteen is not normal. If a regular person got that much attention and money, they would definitely do more irrational things with it then spend it on jewelry, and a big birthday party. As long has he does not let his off the pitch shenanigans interfere with his on the pitch performances, he is in for a legendary career, and we should all sit back and watch this young man transform the world of football for the next ten to fifteen years