Luis Figo names rival to Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele for Ballon d’Or 2025 - ‘He’s won everything’
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Updated 27/06/2025 at 18:59 GMT+1
Who will claim the 2025 Ballon d'Or? It is a question that is provoking fierce debate, with Barcelona star Lamine Yamal and Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele considered the leading candidates. However, former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Portugal winger Luis Figo has thrown a compatriot's name into the ring after a standout season for club and country.
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Real Madrid legend Luis Figo believes Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha could challenge team-mate Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
The Portugal midfielder played a key role in PSG’s stunning treble in the 2024/25 season as they won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and their first UEFA Champions League crown.
Vitinha followed that up by converting a penalty in Portugal’s UEFA Nations League final victory over Spain, and he remains in contention to add yet another title to his bulging collection at the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.
Figo, speaking to Spanish outlet AS, explained why he thinks that the playmaker will be a contender regardless of how things play out in the United States.
"I don't think the Club World Cup will have an impact [on the Ballon d’Or]," he said.
"There are several players who deserve the trophy based on their season.
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"My opinion is irrelevant. The person voting is the one who decides. But I like players like Lamine [Yamal], Vitinha, who has won everything this season, Ousmane Dembele, who has done very well too…
"It depends on whether you're looking at individual performance for the Ballon d'Or, or the titles you've won. It depends on personal taste and what you focus on when awarding this important award."
When asked if Vitinha could be a credible dark horse for the award, Figo was certain.
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"He's on the list," he said. "He has a chance of winning, but, as I said, it depends on who votes and, of course, what you focus on during the season."
One man who Figo believes could be out of the running, however, is Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.
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The striker finished his debut campaign in the Spanish capital as La Liga top scorer but failed to pick up any major silverware in a disappointing campaign where Real finished second to Barcelona and crashed out of the Champions League to Arsenal in the quarter-finals.
"Things weren't so great at first, but he's done well since then. He's scored a lot of goals and has adapted to playing for Real Madrid, which is totally different from playing for any other team," Figo said of Mbappe.
"What could rule him out for individual trophies is his lack of major team titles, but we'll see what happens. He's a name that's always on the lists of the best in the world, there's no doubt about it."
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