Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has shared his thoughts on who could walk away with the 2025 Ballon d’Or, naming Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain and Lamine Yamal of Barcelona as the two leading contenders.

Speaking on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel alongside ex-teammate Michael Owen, Ferdinand acknowledged the brilliance of both Dembele and Yamal this season, but stressed that Kylian Mbappe still stands out as the world’s best.

“If you consider everyone being at their best, I think Mbappe is that guy,” Ferdinand said.

“Even if we consider the two main contenders for the Ballon d’Or this year in Dembele and Yamal, even if they are at their best, I would still say Mbappe. He scored 40-odd goals last season. If Real Madrid had won the league and gone far in the Champions League, he probably gets the Ballon d’Or.”

Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid last summer, had a stellar season but fell just short of the biggest trophies. Meanwhile, Yamal’s breakout campaign at Barcelona and Dembele’s resurgence at PSG have placed them firmly in the spotlight for football’s most prestigious individual award.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony is expected to generate huge debates this year, as the football world watches to see if youth and fresh form will trump Mbappe’s consistent brilliance.