Ballon d'Or Feminin 2025: Nominees revealed for the Golden Ball with Aitana Bonmati, Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey all in contention

Baltimore enjoyed a fantastic first season at Chelsea, playing a key role as the Blues won all three domestic honours on offer without losing a single game. That was despite her playing in a left-back position for most of the campaign, rather than in her usual spot in the forward line. The 25-year-old still managed nine goals and six assists in all competitions, with her outstanding performance in the FA Cup final a particular highlight.

Banda has been in excellent form since the new NWSL season started in March, scoring eight goals in her first 14 games, but the end of her 2024 campaign also counts towards the Ballon d'Or. That's particularly significant as it includes the period in which the forward helped fire the Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and a first-ever NWSL Championship.

After winning the Ballon d'Or in 2023 and 2024, Bonmati has a great case to do so again in 2025. She was named Player of the Tournament at Euro 2025, after helping Spain reach the final, and also won the Best Player award in the Champions League last season, in which Barcelona reached the final. Neither of those games saw Bonmati finish on the winning side, with England and Arsenal victorious respectively, but she did play a huge part in Barca's domestic treble.

Bronze was one of England's best players at Euro 2025, with her performance in the quarter-final win over Sweden a particular highlight as the Lionesses defended their title. Those displays came off the back of a terrific season at Chelsea, too, where the full-back was a key player in the Blues' domestic treble, scoring the goal that sealed their sixth Women's Super League title in a row.

Buhl was a stand-out performer as Germany reached the semi-finals of Euro 2025, with them only beaten in extra time by Spain. Those lively displays were no surprise to anyone who watched the winger at Bayern Munich last year, as her form was superb. Buhl racked up nine goals and 17 assists across the Bundesliga and the Champions League, playing a starring role as the German giants won a domestic treble.

Crowned Player of the Year in the WSL earlier this summer, Caldentey made an incredible impact in her first season at Arsenal. That was most telling in the Champions League, where her performances were crucial in the Gunners' winning. After racking up 18 goals and nine assists at club level, the 29-year-old also had an excellent Euros with Spain, opening the scoring in the final before defeat to England.

Cantore had an excellent campaign with Juventus last year, hitting double figures in Serie A as the Bianconere won the title for the first time since 2022, and she then backed that up with a strong Euros as Italy reached an unlikely semi-final. The 25-year-old, who has now joined the Washington Spirit, assisted both goals in the Azzurre's historic quarter-final win over Norway.

After being moved into a centre-back role by Renee Slegers, who took over at Arsenal back in October, Catley shone for the Gunners in a fantastic season. Usually a left-back, she brought more solidity to a defence that would end up shutting out Barcelona in the Champions League final for Arsenal's first European triumph since 2007.

Chawinga is another NWSL star whose efforts at the end of 2024 were important in securing her spot among the Ballon d'Or nominees. The 26-year-old was crowned MVP of the league as the Kansas City Current reached the Championship game, having also won the Golden Boot. She's started the 2025 season strongly, too, with nine goals in her first 14 outings.

Dumornay might've been a serious contender for the Ballon d'Or had Lyon not suffered a shock loss to Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals. The 21-year-old was outstanding this past year, with 22 goals and nine assists in all competitions as OL won yet another league title. Among those strikes was the opener in the win over PSG which secured that trophy.

Fox spent this past year outlining her world-class credentials, going to new levels for Arsenal at right-back. The 27-year-old was a consistent and reliable presence in the defence, helping to thwart Barcelona in the Champions League final, but also a real asset going forward as she showed just why she has a strong case for being the best in the world in her position.

For club and country, Girelli has had an amazing 12 months. The 35-year-old won the Serie A Golden Boot with 19 goals as Juventus won the title for the first time in three years, she opened the scoring in the Coppa Italia final as the Bianconere beat Roma and then she spearheaded Italy's charge to the Euro 2025 semi-finals, scoring both goals in the quarter-final win over Norway.

No one has scored more goals in the NWSL this year than Gonzalez, who carried that form into Euro 2025. The Gotham striker has netted 10 times in 13 league appearances in 2025 and she stood at the top of the goalscoring charts when she represented Spain in Switzerland this summer, too, winning the Golden Boot as La Roja reached the final.

Graham Hansen was Norway's best player as her nation ended a 12-year wait to get out of the group stages at the Euros this summer, before losing to Italy in the last eight. That followed a sublime club season, in which the winger thrived as Barcelona won a domestic treble. Last year's Ballon d'Or runner-up ended 2024-25 with 21 goals and 14 assists.

A return of 12 goals and 16 assists for club and country this past year is quite impressive for Guijarro, who is a holding midfielder for Barcelona and Spain. Arguably the best in the world in her position, she can struggle for recognition given her conservative role, but has deservedly become a regular nominee for the Ballon d'Or in recent times. She deserves her place on the shortlist again this year after playing a vital role in Barca's treble.

Gutierres might not have been a familiar name to some prior to this summer but her Golden Boot-winning return of six goals at Copa America certainly put her on the map. The 24-year-old was a star performer as Brazil won the tournament, scoring in wins over Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and then in the final against Colombia, as the Selecao emerged victorious on penalties, with Gutierres netting in the shootout.

The only goalkeeper nominated, Hampton had a brilliant season with Chelsea, winning a share of the WSL Golden Glove as the Blues completed an unbeaten domestic treble, and then she backed it up with a huge Euros. The 24-year-old was one of England's very best players as they emerged as European champions, making big saves in the shootout wins over Sweden in the quarter-final and Spain in the final.

Few would argue that Harder was not the best player in Germany this past season, with the forward playing a massive role in Bayern Munich's domestic treble. Racking up 14 goals and five assists in 22 Bundesliga appearances, the Denmark international also scored six times in eight Champions League games to land herself a place on the Ballon d'Or shortlist despite her nation's shortcomings at Euro 2025.

Ranked fifth in the Ballon d'Or voting last year, Heaps is back among the nominees for 2025 after some stand-out displays for Lyon. The 31-year-old was only outscored by two players in the league, racking up 12 goals, and she led the division in assists, with eight, to help OL win yet another title. Indeed, it was her terrific assist that helped Lyon open the scoring in the title-clinching win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Having been unable to even get on the pitch at times in the first half of the 2024-25 season, Kelly thrived after joining Arsenal on loan in January and helped the Gunners to win the Champions League. Then, she proved to be the difference maker for England at Euro 2025, coming up with heroic contributions in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final as the Lionesses won a tournament that will forever be associated with Kelly.

Another important member of Arsenal's Champions League-winning side, Maanum ended the club season with 10 goals and four assists, though those stats don't scratch the surface when it comes to the midfielder's value in the Gunners' XI. She was then a key player for a Norway side that finally reached the knockout stages of the Euros again, scoring twice in the win over Iceland.

Crowned the Premiere Ligue's Player of the Year at both of France's end of season award ceremonies, Mateo was outstanding for underdogs Paris FC as they shocked Paris Saint-Germain to win the Coupe de France, before also securing a Champions League place. The 27-year-old scored a league-leading 18 goals and also ranked second for assists, with seven.

Named Player of the Tournament at Copa America, Marta rolled back the years after coming out of international retirement to play for Brazil this summer. The 39-year-old scored three goals and provided three assists in six games, despite only starting three of them, and was the stand-out player in the final, netting a brace. She also helped the Orlando Pride win the NWSL Shield and the Championship at the end of 2024.

No one scored goals at the rate Pajor did last season. The striker ended the 2024-25 campaign with a whopping 52 goals for club and country, plus another 16 assists, as she helped Barcelona win a domestic treble and played for Poland at their first-ever major tournament on the women's side. Pajor scored as her country ended their summer on a high, too, with a first-ever win at the Euros.

Despite not always being a starter for club and country, Pina proved herself to be a reliable match-winner regardless of her role this past year. No one scored more goals in the Champions League than the 23-year-old who not only came up with big moments as Barca won the treble, but also scored two brilliant goals in Spain's run to the Euro 2025 final.

After some recent struggles with injury, Putellas hit new heights this past season with a remarkable individual campaign that played a big role in Barcelona winning a domestic treble. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner scored 27 goals and provided 21 assists for club and country in 2024-25, helping the latter to reach the Euro 2025 final in the summer.

No one scored more goals in the WSL last season than Russo, who earned a share of the Golden Boot with her 12 strikes for Arsenal, and only Pina netted more than the England striker in the Champions League, as she helped Arsenal become champions of Europe again. The 26-year-old had herself a strong Euros with the Lionesses, too, scoring in the final on her way to securing another European title.

Few started the 2024-25 season in better form than Rytting Kaneryd, who was a livewire in a Chelsea team that clinched a domestic treble. She showcased her qualities at Euro 2025, too, flying down the wing for a Sweden side that looked like a serious contender for the title, until a spirited comeback from England ended their campaign in the quarter-finals. 

After missing almost all of the 2023-24 season due to an ACL injury, Weir came back with a bang this year, returning to form similar to that which took Spain by storm in her first campaign at Real Madrid. The Scotland international totted up 15 goals and 11 assists across all competitions for Las Blancas, with her brace in the team's first-ever win over Barcelona standing out.

Having missed England's last major tournament with an ACL injury, Williamson made up for lost time at Euro 2025 as she repeated the historic feat she achieved in 2022 by captaining the Lionesses to glory. That came after a glorious end to the club season, too, with the lifelong Gooner helping Arsenal to beat Barcelona in the Champions League final.