The 2025 Ballon d’Or Féminin winner will be crowned on Monday, September 22, as the best players in the world make a case to voters through spirited performances in their respective leagues and international tournaments.
The Ballon d'Or Féminin was founded in 2018, with Ada Hegerberg winning the first-ever trophy. That was followed by Megan Rapinoe in ’19, Alexia Putellas in ’21 and ’22, and then Aitana Bonmatí in ’23 and ’24.
Putellas and Bonmati both feature as nominees in 2025, but the two Barcelona and Spain midfielders are not quite considered favorites. Should Bonmati win for a third consecutive time, she would be the first women's player to ever do so.
Traditionally, the Ballon d'Or favors European players and international soccer tournaments. So, the expectation is that the best-performing players from Women's Euro 2025 will be at the top of the list. The UEFA Women's Champions League tends to be the next biggest factor when it comes to boosting a players case to take home the crown.
Here’s how Sports Illustrated ranks the 30 2025 Women's Ballon d’Or nominees.
30. Lindsey Heaps
With no international tournament for the U.S. women's national team this year and a disappointing end to Lyon's Champions League and Coupe de France campaigns, this hasn't been a vintage year for Lindsey Heaps (né Horan).
Still, the 31-year-old American contributed the second-most goals (19) for Lyon on their way to winning the French league title. Lyon did not lose a single French league match all season, and if it hadn't been for a 4–1 collapse against Arsenal, perhaps things would have looked very different.
29. Frida Maanum
Dynamic midfielder Frida Maanum featured in all 22 of Arsenal's English Women's Super League matches as the Gunners finished second. However, it was on the continent that she really caught headlines for her physical box-to-box work in the latter stages of Arsenal's triumphant Champions League adventure. Another flat showing with Norway at Women's Euro 2025 didn't boost her chances for the Ballon d'Or.
28. Steph Catley
A lynchpin in the heart of Arsenal's defense last season, Steph Catley had one of her best seasons as a newly designated left-sided centerback. From the crucial final group stage match onwards, a 3–2 win over Bayern Munich, Catley played the full 90 minutes in every Champions League match for Arsenal down the stretch. Another whose lack of international soccer this summer won't help her case.
27. Caroline Weir
Caroline Weir remains a player whose individual contributions on the pitch often far outweigh the teams she features for. Weir had 27 goal contributions (14 goals, 13 assists) across 40 Liga F and Champions League matches, while Real Madrid finished second in Liga F and were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarterfinal stage. Internationally, Scotland failed to qualify for the Women's Euro 2025.
Weir's memorable brace off the bench in a 3–1 win for Real Madrid over Barcelona will undoubtedly be her crowning moment from a 2024–25 season that saw the Scot return to her best after an ACL injury. It was the first Clásico win for Real Madrid in 19 matches.
26. Amanda Gutierres
One of the lesser-known stars on the 2025 Ballon d'Or shortlist, Amanda Gutierres, only broke into the Brazil national team in 2024. However, she has already scored nine goals for Brazil during the 2024–25 season. The 24-year-old scored three goals at the 2025 Copa América Femenina, including in the victorious final for Brazil against Colombia.
At the club level, Gutierres won the Brazilian league with Palmeiras last season and was the top scorer in the league. Due to the South American league and Copa América Femenina having less visibility, it's really hard to grade one of the most talented breakout players on the list.
25. Clara Mateo
Last season was a career year for Clara Mateo, who led the French league in both goals (18) and assists (eight) with Paris FC. As well as breaking into the French national team and helping Les Bleus go to the quarterfinals of Women's Euro 2025, she also won the Coupe de France with Paris FC. It was the first major trophy the team had won in nearly 20 years.
24. Pernille Harder
A German league and cup double champion with Bayern Munich in 2024–25, Pernille Harder led Munich for goals (14) and minutes (1,757). A leader and standard-setter, even at 32, there is a feeling that Harder is everywhere on the pitch. Harder struggled to have the same impact with the Danish national team at Women's Euro 2025, and her team crashed out in the group stage yet again.
23. Cristiana Girelli
A powerful physical presence up front for both Juventus and Italy, Cristiana Girelli rolled back the years for a very memorable 2024–25 season. The 35-year-old was essential to Italy's fairytale semifinal run at Women's Euro 2025, and scored one of the goals of the tournament in the group stage against Portugal. She also netted an extraordinary 19 goals for Juventus as the Turin team won the Serie A title for the first time since 2022.
22. Sofia Cantore
Similar to Girelli, Sofia Cantore was a shining light for Juventus and Italy in 2024-25. While her total goals total (15) isn't as high as Girelli's, her overall play, chance creation and pressing in the wide areas had a greater impact than her compatriot. Cantore was the key thorn in England's side when the Italians came within seconds of knocking out the eventual Women's Euro 2025 winners. Cantore also showed in the Champions League that she can tussle with the best in Europe. Cantore now plays for the Washington Spirit in the NWSL.
21. Klara Bühl
Klara Bühl is a fantastically balanced attacker who can offer as much on the creative side as on the goalscorer side (12 goals, 18 assists in 2024–25). Her ability to pressure opponents into mistakes and burst into life on the wing makes her one of the most exciting threats in Europe. The defensive side of her game was perhaps best on show when Germany battled its way to the Women's Euro 2025 semifinals against the odds. Of course, at this time, success in the Frauen-Bundesliga will not be viewed as highly as in England or the United States.
20. Esther González
The veteran Spanish forward is in the goalscoring form of her lifetime, and, after many years in a more rotational role, has become the starter for her national team. Esther Gonzáelez scored the most goals of any player (four) at Women's Euro 2025 and is currently leading the NWSL for goals with 13 in 19 matches. The 32-year-old also scored the winning goal for NJ/NY Gotham FC in the Concacaf W Champions Cup final last May. When it comes to beating out the top competition at her position, Gonzalez has a compelling argument.
19. Emily Fox
The Arsenal fullback took another major leap in 2024–25 and was exceptional during the Gunners' run to winning the Champions League. In the final against Barcelona, Emily Fox was her usual dependable self, shutting down opponents with tight marking and flawless defensive duels. The 27-year-old American started in all but two of Arsenal's WSL and Champions League matches last season. The epitome of reliability, even if defenders are often overlooked by the Ballon d'Or voting committee.
18. Sandy Baltimore
The French winger had to take on more defensive duties than some may have expected when she signed for Chelsea last summer. But Sandy Baltimore made that transition under head coach Sonia Bompastor look easy, notching six goals and eight assists across the WSL and Champions League. Her Euros play was admirable but less than some of her contemporaries.
17. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd
Another Chelsea winger who made significant contributions to the Blues' undefeated league title-winning season in the WSL (four goals, four assists), Johanna Rytting Kaneryd's speedy runs also helped Sweden at a fantastic Women's Euro 2025, which ended prematurely via a penalty shootout to England. Kaneryd was one of Sweden's best players and one of the players of the tournament, which will warm her to the judges.
16. Clàudia Pina
Is there a better long-range shooter in European soccer right now than Clàudia Pina? The FC Barcelona winger turned a lot of heads with her devastating performances off the bench and her technically supreme finishing ability from around the box. Pina notably crushed England with a scintillating brace in the UEFA Nations League, and then did the same thing to Chelsea in the Champions League semifinals. The 24-year-old is a one-of-a-kind player who will likely rise on the list in years to come.
15. Caroline Graham Hansen
One of the most underrated all-rounders, perhaps because she plays alongside so many talented players at Barcelona, Caroline Graham Hansen is a physical dribbler who can cut inside and turn out to the touchline. In 2024–25, she hit 30 goal contributions (18 goals, 12 assists) across Liga F and the Champions League. Norway often flattered to deceive, and the 30-year-old didn't quite look like herself out at Women's Euro 2025, which will cost her from being higher up the Ballon d'Or finishers.
14. Ewa Pajor
Last summer, Ewa Pajor made a big move from Wolfsburg to Barcelona. However, the change of scene didn't change the Polish forward's game. Like a duck to water, Pajor kept her extraordinary scoring streak going in Catalonia and scored 36 goals in 45 games across Liga F and the Champions League.
Perhaps there's an argument to be made that Pajor is a bit of a flat-track bully and didn't do enough in the big moments, like the Champions League final loss to Arsenal. It is also worth noting that, on a personal level, Pajor may be most proud of scoring Poland's second-ever goal at a major tournament in their 3–2 win over Denmark at Women's Euro 2025. Poland exited in the group stage.
13. Chloe Kelly
The ultimate super-sub. In terms of big moments, it is hard not to perceive Chloe Kelly as the most recognizable big game player on this list. At Women's Euro 2025, Kelly helped to create both goals and then scored a crucial penalty in the quarterfinal against Sweden. She then scored the winning goal in the semifinal against Italy and then went on to score the winning penalty in the final against Spain.
Of course, that incredible run aside, Kelly's domestic season was filled with plenty of time on the sidelines out of favor at Manchester City, and then being used in rotation with Arsenal. Kelly did rekindle her super-sub role for Arsenal's victorious Champions League run. Her presence in the squad can't be underestimated, but her overall performance across the year may be less than many.
Just six months ago, Chloe Kelly was struggling for minutes at Man City and got dropped from the England squad.
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) July 27, 2025
She made a late move to Arsenal, won the Champions League, and played a key role in England’s back-to-back Euros triumph.
What a comeback ❤️ pic.twitter.com/exYmN562ZX
12. Alexia Putellas
With 21 goals and 15 assists in Liga F and the Champions League, the 2024-25 season was a comeback year for Putellas, who wasn't quite herself in 2023–24 when she first returned from her ACL injury that she suffered in the summer of 2022. Not only did Putellas excel as an individual, but her combination play alongside Barcelona and Spain teammates Patri Guijarro and Bonmatí showcased just how good she is at reading teammates. Similarly, she was able to have a much more commanding role with the Spanish national team on their run to the final at Women's Euro 2025. Of course, she has already won the Ballon d'Or twice before.
11. Leah Williamson
The Arsenal and England captain was a consummate leader as she led both her teams to European glory in 2024–25. While she remains an elite technical defender, Leah Williamson's best attributes remain her ability to connect with teammates, make decisions and read the game. It can be hard to quantify Williamson's worth. A cool head under lots of pressure, who conquered both Barcelona and Spain in two of the best defensive final performances you will see.
10. Hannah Hampton
There are so many heroes when it comes to England's Women's Euro 2025 triumph. And yet, Hannah Hampton's huge saves and smart passes keep coming to the foreground. Fresh off an invincible season with Chelsea, where she lifted three trophies, Hampton then made key penalty saves for England in the quarterfinal and final before lifting the Euros trophy. Goalkeepers don't always get votes at the Ballon d'Or, but Hampton could buck the trend because of just how much she affected the outcome of games.
9. Alessia Russo
Despite scoring 20 goals for Arsenal in the WSL and Champions League, and scoring the equalizer in the Women's Euro 2025 final for England, Alessia Russo almost feels a bit under-appreciated. So much of her game is posting up in the frontline, playing with her back to goal and making space for others. She doesn't always score the flashiest goals, but she is composed in the box. When all the best contributions for Arsenal and England are weighed up, Russo is there throughout.
8. Barbra Banda
Barbra Banda sliced through some of the best defenses in the NWSL during the Orlando Pride's thrilling run to winning the NWSL Shield and championship at the end of 2024. The 25-year-old Zambian was at her best in big games and scored the winning goal in the NWSL Championship final by transforming Tara McKeown into a turnstile. Zambia's early exit at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations won't help her Ballon d'Or case, but Banda remains one of the best forwards in the world who makes everyone around her better.
7. Temwa Chawinga
There is no greater model of consistency in world soccer right now than Temwa Chawinga. The Kansas City Current forward simply cannot stop scoring. She doesn't even take penalty kicks or score multiple goals per game; she just consistently pops up in big moments to deliver game-winning goals. Her trademark is smart runs complemented by deftly flicked and lofted finishes. Only one minor trophy, the NWSL x LigaMX Femenil Summer Cup, and little international action for Malawi in 2024–25 could hold back Chawinga from getting adequate recognition. Put her in the Champions League or a different national team, and this could be a very different outcome for the Ballon d'Or.
6. Aitana Bonmatí
A limitless tool kit of skills, there is no questioning Bonmatí’s ability. Having won the past two Ballon d'Ors, the Barcelona midfielder is going for a first-ever three-peat on Monday night. By her own admission, this was not one of Bonmatí’s best seasons, and yet she was still the maestro for Barcelona and Spain in two very successful campaigns. The problem is that major moments let her down, including a quiet Champions League final and a penalty miss against England.
5. Patri Guijarro
The engine that keeps Barcelona and Spain ticking over. So much of what makes those two teams elite is the incisive work of Guijarro in the midfield, threading passes, scanning spaces, linking the play and connecting teammates. Like Bonmatí and Putellas, the two final defeats to Arsenal and Spain will hurt her case for a Ballon d'Or, but over the entire year, her level of play was extraordinary. Few can play at such a high standard.
4. Melchie Dumornay
When Melchie Dumornay picks up momentum, there is no stopping her. A combination of electric technique and instinctive finishing allows Dumornay to punish teams. Give an inch, and she will take a mile. No player on this list attacks space quite like Dumornay. She scored 22 and added nine assists across just 28 games for Lyon in the French league and Champions League. The lack of international soccer for Haiti will hold many voters, but she should still be a top candidate.
3. Mariona Caldentey
A versatile attacker who showed tremendous class wherever she was deployed, at times in a midfield role for Arsenal and then as a wide forward for Spain. Mariona Caldentey's best performances came in the second half of the season, where she carried Arsenal back up the table to second place and scored game-changing goals in both semifinal meetings with Lyon in the Champions League. A class act.
2. Marta
Marta had a record-breaking NWSL season, where she lifted the Shield and Championship with the Orlando Pride, and then swiftly followed it up with a shock return out of retirement to the Brazil national team, where she won the 2025 Copa América Femenina. The 39-year-old has appeared ageless during the 2024–25 season, playing some of the best soccer of her career. Her two goals in the dramatic Copa América Femenina final against Colombia will go down in legend and will certainly catch the attention of Ballon d'Or voters.
1. Lucy Bronze
There is no better way to sum up Lucy Bronze than that she left it all out on the pitch. The England defender won the Women's Euro 2025 with a stress fracture in her leg, starting every match, scoring a vital equalizer against Sweden in the quarterfinal and converting a high-pressure penalty kick. Add all that to a perfect domestic season with Chelsea, where she also won three trophies, and it is hard not to see Bronze as the most accomplished player on this list. Where she went, success, trophies, guts and grit followed. That relentless above all else may be rewarded with a Ballon d'Or. Resilience personified.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking the Favorites to Win the 2025 Ballon d'Or Féminin.
