In 2024-25: Six goals, 10 assists. Won European Championship & Champions League.

Chloe Kelly feels like a prime candidate to be thrust into the list of Ballon d’Or nominees off the back of her summer, rather than her season overall. That’s not to put her down – after all, she had an amazing second half of the 2024-25 campaign once she got out of a difficult situation at Manchester City. On loan at Arsenal, her contributions were huge, propelling the Gunners to a surprise Champions League title.

However, it’s unlikely she would be nominated for this award were it not for her achievements at the Euros with England. Kelly was a consistent game-changer for the Lionesses in a tournament that ended with her thumping home the title-winning penalty in a shootout victory over Spain.

There are so many previous examples of those performances on the biggest stage rocketing players into the upper echelons of the Ballon d’Or final ranking – such as Olga Carmona after the 2023 Women’s World Cup and Beth Mead post-Euro 2022. Kelly is likely to enjoy a similar trajectory, albeit with a Champions League title also under her belt.

In 2024-25: 19 goals, 17 assists. Won European Championship & Champions League.

Alessia Russo has had her fair share of critics over the years. The Arsenal forward is by no means a relentless goal-scorer and her off-the-ball work can go unappreciated. This past season, though, she thrived in both areas in a more balanced and devastating way than ever before. Her two-goal display in the Gunners’ rousing Champions League comeback against Real Madrid was a perfect example of this and she followed that up with a goal and an assist in the incredible semi-final win over Lyon.

Had Arsenal ended the season without a trophy, it may have been tough to see Russo get too many Ballon d’Or votes. However, that her exploits in Europe contributed to the Gunners’ first continental title since 2007 makes a big difference. Throw in the goal she scored in the Euro 2025 final and her Golden Ball chances are likely to be strengthened.

In 2024-25: 20 goals, 16 assists. Won Liga F, Copa de la Reina and Spanish Super Cup.

Winner of the last two Ballons d’Or, it is not going to be easy for Aitana Bonmati to complete a three-peat, but she has a chance. The midfielder was, again, a vital cog in a Barcelona team that won a treble, with her world-class quality evident throughout the campaign. However, her goals and assists were not quite up there with some of her team-mates’ – and, frustratingly, a lot of these awards are based on those particular stats.

When the 27-year-old was hospitalised with viral meningitis just before Euro 2025, it looked like her chances of winning another Golden Ball this year were long gone. Yet, she managed to recover in time to be such a factor in Spain’s run to the final that she was named Player of the Tournament, against all odds.

Were the Ballon d’Or voters as impressed with Bonmati’s performances in Switzerland as the UEFA panel? We’ll soon find out.

In 2024-25: 27 goals, 21 assists. Won Liga F, Copa de la Reina and Spanish Super Cup.

Winner of the Golden Ball in 2021 and 2022, Alexia Putellas endured some tough times with injury in the years that followed, but she was back at her absolute best this past season, going to a level arguably even beyond that she showed so regularly when winning those accolades back-to-back.

After winning a domestic treble with Barcelona, Putellas started Euro 2025 in sensational form too, with there no more impressive player in the group stages. However, she didn’t quite grab the headlines in the knockouts and was surprisingly subbed off as Spain chased a winner in the final.

Based on the entire season, many would still say that Putellas deserves the Ballon d’Or. But some doubt has to now creep in about whether that will be the reality.

In 2024-25: 23 goals, 18 assists. Won Champions League.

It might just be Mariona Caldentey’s year. No, she didn’t win Euro 2025, but she did score a great goal in the final to remind everyone just how good she has been over the past 12 months. The Spaniard was Arsenal’s best player throughout last season, standing out as a key reason why the Gunners were able to win the Champions League, and her performances didn’t go under the radar either, with her named WSL Player of the Year.

That’s a crucial point here, as Caldentey has long been underrated and overlooked, despite harbouring world-class talent for years. Now, she is starting to emerge into the limelight like never before, so much so that she looks like she could be the new favourite to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

Conclusion: Five Women, One Crown

In 2025, the Ballon d’Or Féminin is more than an award—it is a celebration of five extraordinary journeys.
Putellas symbolizes resilience and leadership; Bonmatí represents consistency and artistry; Russo embodies the rise of a new superstar; Caldentey proves versatility can decide titles; and Kelly reminds us that legends are often written in single, unforgettable moments.

Together, they define not only the elite level of women’s football but also its soul—competitive, inspiring, and relentlessly beautiful. Whoever lifts the golden ball will do so standing on the shoulders of a season where all five illuminated the game in their own extraordinary way.