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Real Madrid forward, Kylian Mbappe, has leapt into second place in the Ballon d’Or rankings for 2025, The Eastern Updates reports.
Last year was the first time that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo were nominated for the first time since 2003.
In the absence of the two legends, Manchester City’s Rodri won it ahead of Vinícius Jr.
It is believed Salah is leading the race to win it this year. The in-form Egyptian is all but certain to win the Premier League title with Liverpool.
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The Reds are 13 points clear of Arsenal with 12 fixtures left to play.
Salah is enjoying perhaps the best season of his career, having scored 30 goals and registered 22 assists in all competitions. No player in Europe’s top five leagues has been more decisive.
Liverpool are also one of the frontrunners to win the Champions League.
Mbappe has exploded into life in Spain after failing to score in his first three league games.
With 28 goals so far, Mbappe is on track to break Iván Zamorano’s record for most goals in a debut season at Madrid.
The top five is completed by Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona), Raphinha (Brazil, Barcelona) and Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich).
Last year, France Football, the organizers of the Ballon d’Or, listed the criteria they use in deciding the winners of the award.
The first criteria is “Individual performances, decisive and impressive character”.
Secondly, they will consider “team performances and achievements”.
The last criteria is “class and fair play”.
What could possibly stop Salah from winning it this year?
“I don’t know when the awards will be held but if its before AFCON, then only Liverpool not making the UCL semis or a really poor start to season 2025/26 can stop him.
“Moments matter so he has to carry these moments till closer to the award too because the voters are biased by recency at times,” Omojuwa said.
This week, Jamie Carragher sparked off a debate about Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances, claiming that the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, is not a major tournament.
Two former Super Eagles captains, John Mikel Obi and Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, have hit back at the Liverpool legend.
Mikel Obi claimed “it’s so disrespectful what he said, and this is coming from someone who never won any major international competition with England.
“His statement was absolutely wrong. I hope he will come out and make a massive apology because he owes people around the world an apology.
“[It was] ignorant to disrespect such a wonderful tournament. If you think that the Premier League would be what it is today with just the English players you’re f*cking having a laugh mate.”
Interestingly, Weah hails from Liberia, a country that has never been a football powerhouse in Africa.
Weah won the Ballon d’Or solely because of his exploits on European soil.
But is the AFCON a major tournament?
“It’s not a question,” Omojuwa replies.
“Every continental tournament is a major tournament. Anyone who doesn’t understand that has no business earning money from football punditry.”
