5 Ballon d’Or Outcomes That Make No Sense

Four specific rankings and one frustrating trend.

Every year, the Ballon d’Or results spark outrage. Many argue the award has lost its credibility, yet every season the debate rages on. With vague criteria and subjective voting, no ranking would ever satisfy everyone — but even so, this year’s list feels particularly questionable. And it’s not just about Ousmane Dembélé winning the award. The real head-scratchers lie elsewhere.

Pedri – Only 11th Place

Few rankings irritate fans more than Pedri finishing 11th. For years, the Barcelona midfielder was seen as a tidy passer who could unlock defenses. But last season, his game evolved dramatically.

Pedri became Barça’s best defensive player, topping the team in both attempted and successful tackles. He also ranked first in blocked passes and shots. Offensively, he excelled in dribbling efficiency — completing 66.3% (57 out of 86) of his take-ons, the best ratio among Barça players who attempted more than 10 dribbles all season.

And he didn’t lose his trademark vision or line-breaking passes. Even when they didn’t lead directly to assists, they consistently created danger. In every sense — apart from heading — Pedri looked like the perfect midfielder. To rank him 11th feels criminally low.

Raphinha – Fifth Place

For Raphinha, there were really only two spots that made sense: first or second. You could make a case for Vitinha, PSG’s midfield engine, being above him. But among attacking players, Raphinha’s numbers simply outshone the rest.

In the Champions League, he was phenomenal: top scorer and top assist provider with 13 goals and 8 assists. He led the tournament in combined goal contributions and carried that form into La Liga, outperforming even Lamine Yamal. Compared to Mohamed Salah, Raphinha may have trailed in domestic stats, but Europe’s voters have always prioritized Champions League brilliance — and there Raphinha was untouchable. Fifth place just doesn’t reflect that dominance.

Cole Palmer – Eighth Place

Palmer’s ranking feels like proof that FIFA and France Football want the Club World Cup to matter. Without it, his eighth-place finish is hard to justify.

Yes, Chelsea also won the Conference League — but that’s Europe’s third-tier competition, with no elite opposition. And truthfully, Palmer’s season was weaker than the previous one. After a solid first half, his output nosedived. Over the final 16 league matches, he managed just one goal and two assists.

Yet somehow, a clutch performance in the Club World Cup catapulted him into the Ballon d’Or top 10. Meanwhile, Désiré Doué scored a brace in the Champions League final but only placed 14th. If Palmer spends most of the season as a rotation player, should he really rank this high?

Vinícius Júnior – Sixteenth Place

This is the classic case of reputation carrying a player further than his actual performances. We all know Vinícius is electric, capable of destroying defenses single-handedly. But last season? He simply wasn’t that guy.

With Kylian Mbappé’s arrival, Vinícius’ influence dipped. His La Liga return of 11 goals and 8 assists was underwhelming — worse than Raphinha, Lewandowski, Mbappé, and even Alexander Sørloth, Ayoze Pérez, and Ante Budimir. Add to that Real Madrid failing to win La Liga, the Copa del Rey, or the Champions League, and it’s hard to see why he placed as high as 16th.

Attackers Still Dominate

The biggest issue remains structural. The closer you play to goal, the more recognition you get. It’s not new, but it’s still disappointing. Yamal, Mbappé, Vinícius, Palmer — all ranked higher than expected.

Last year, when Rodri won, there was hope that midfielders and defenders might finally get more credit. Instead, the imbalance persists. At least Vitinha’s inclusion in the top five offered some balance.

Social media’s influence can’t be ignored. In the age of highlight clips and viral goals, flashy attackers always overshadow deeper contributions. The cult of the superstar grows, fueled by memes, scandals, and constant online debate. Separating footballing merit from media noise has become nearly impossible.

Published by Patrick Jane
25.09.2025