Today in Sports
  • Home
  • Featured News
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • More
    • Rugby
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Soccer
    • NBA
    • Racing
    • Cricket
  • DMCA
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Featured News
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • More
    • Rugby
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Soccer
    • NBA
    • Racing
    • Cricket
No Result
View All Result
Today in Sports
No Result
View All Result

It’s not Lamine Yamal: Barcelona star emerges as 2025 Ballon d’Or early favorite ahead of Kylian Mbappe; Mohamed Salah suffers stunning drop

March 19, 2025
in Football
0
Home Football
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


You might also like

Manchester United stars beg Bruno Fernandes to stay at Old Trafford – Man United News And Transfer News

20 favourite photos from Liverpool’s Premier League trophy presentation – Liverpool FC

Robert Lewandowski reaches major milestone with FC Barcelona earlier than Lionel Messi

For years, the Ballon d’Or award was synonymous with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The legendary duo dominated the award, leaving little room for debate. But in recent seasons, the prestigious accolade has become far more unpredictable. Rodri’s most recent triumph is a testament to that, as the Manchester City midfielder edged out Vinicius in a hotly contested race.

However, with Rodri sidelined due to a season-ending injury, the 2025 edition of the Ballon d’Or is shaping up to be an open contest. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are, as always, in the conversation. Mohamed Salah, after a sensational start to the campaign, has seen his chances take a hit. Meanwhile, Harry Kane’s goalscoring exploits keep him in the running.

But a new name has unexpectedly surged to the front of the pack—a player few anticipated would lead the race for soccer’s most coveted individual honor. It’s not Lamine Yamal.

The player in question has been in the form of his life. With a staggering 44 goal contributions in all competitions, no player in La Liga has been more influential this season. Only Mohamed Salah has registered more across Europe’s top five leagues, and even then, the Egyptian has played significantly more minutes.

Defenders across Spain and Europe have struggled to contain his direct running, creativity, and lethal finishing. The Champions League has been his playground, where he has already amassed 11 goals and five assists in just 835 minutes—numbers that even Messi, at his peak, couldn’t surpass in the competition’s group stages. His performances have propelled Barcelona into contention for a historic treble. With La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League still within reach, his influence has been impossible to ignore.

Introducing Raphinha: Barcelona’s new star

Yes, the player dominating the Ballon d’Or conversation is none other than Raphinha. The 28-year-old Brazilian has taken his game to another level under Hansi Flick, evolving from a talented winger into the heartbeat of Barcelona’s attack. In a season where Lamine Yamal has dazzled with his youthful brilliance and Robert Lewandowski has continued to score goals, it is Raphinha who has been the Blaugrana’s most decisive player.

“To play against him this season is to be haunted by his driving runs and curling left-footed crosses, his ability to ask questions of the best defenders in the world,” notes The Analyst.

He isn’t just scoring goals; he is creating more chances than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues. With 116 chances created and 12.3 expected assists, Raphinha has been both a goal-scorer and a playmaker. And when it comes to delivering in crucial moments, few have been better.

The Blaugrana’s 4-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League group stage was a statement performance, and Raphinha stole the show with a stunning hat-trick. It was the kind of performance that forced the soccer world to take notice. Then in the Round of 16, with his side reduced to 10 men from the 22nd minute, the winger stepped up and scored the decisive goal to send his team through. It was a moment that solidified his reputation as a big-game player.

Can Raphinha win the Ballon d’Or?

The battle for the 2025 Ballon d’Or remains fierce, and securing silverware will be crucial. If Raphinha can guide Barcelona to multiple trophies—particularly the Champions League—his case will become nearly undeniable, GOAL’s latest power rankings reveal.

Kylian Mbappe remains a strong challenger, especially if he can lead Real Madrid to European glory. His recent hat-trick against Manchester City in February was a reminder of his ability to turn big moments in his favor.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah’s decline in the rankings has been one of the season’s biggest surprises. Once considered the frontrunner, Liverpool’s Champions League exit and Carabao Cup final loss have significantly damaged his hopes.

GOAL’s Ballon d’Or 2025 power rankings

Power rankPlayer nameCurrent club1.RaphinhaBarcelona2.Kylian MbappeReal Madrid3.Lamine YamalBarcelona4.Harry KaneBayern Munich5.Ousmane DembelePSG6.Mohamed SalahLiverpool7.PedriBarcelona8.Robert LewandowskiBarcelona9.Vinicius JuniorReal Madrid10.Jude BellinghamReal Madrid



Source link

Tags: aheadBallonBallon d'OrBarcelonadOrdropearlyEmergeserling haalandfavoriteHarry KaneKylianKylian MbappéLamineLamine YamalMbappeMohamedMohamed SalahRaphinhaSalahStarstunningsuffersWorld Soccer NewsYamal
Share30Tweet19

Recommended For You

Manchester United stars beg Bruno Fernandes to stay at Old Trafford – Man United News And Transfer News

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 25, 2025
0
Manchester United stars beg Bruno Fernandes to stay at Old Trafford – Man United News And Transfer News

2 Manchester United ended a dismal season on a high, winning their final Premier League game against Aston Villa 2-0, but Ruben Amorim still has a lot to...

Read more

20 favourite photos from Liverpool’s Premier League trophy presentation – Liverpool FC

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 25, 2025
0
20 favourite photos from Liverpool’s Premier League trophy presentation – Liverpool FC

As the red dust settled over Anfield, the Premier League trophy glistened with its red ribbons on a day that was perfectly captured by the cameras to be...

Read more

Robert Lewandowski reaches major milestone with FC Barcelona earlier than Lionel Messi

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 25, 2025
0
Robert Lewandowski reaches major milestone with FC Barcelona earlier than Lionel Messi

Robert Lewandowski has further cemented his place among the greatest strikers of the 21st century, continuing to break records at nearly every stop in his career. Now starring...

Read more

Chelsea back ‘where it has to be’ according to boss Enzo Maresca

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 25, 2025
0
Chelsea back ‘where it has to be’ according to boss Enzo Maresca

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca could not hide his smile after guiding the Blues back into the Champions League for the first time in two years.The two-time winners...

Read more

Ruben Amorim sheds light on Garnacho, Onana’s situation after duo dropped from Manchester United’s last game

by TODAY IN SPORTS
May 25, 2025
0
Ruben Amorim sheds light on Garnacho, Onana’s situation after duo dropped from Manchester United’s last game

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim raised eyebrows by leaving Alejandro Garnacho and Andre Onana out of the squad for the final Premier League match of the 2024–25 season...

Read more
Next Post
‘I guess Paddy wants to be fraud checked’: Fans react to Paddy Pimblett’s comments about Dustin Poirier

‘I guess Paddy wants to be fraud checked’: Fans react to Paddy Pimblett’s comments about Dustin Poirier

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related News

Eberechi Eze’s launch clause emerges as Manchester United circle round Crystal Palace star – Man United Information And Switch Information

Eberechi Eze’s launch clause emerges as Manchester United circle round Crystal Palace star – Man United Information And Switch Information

June 8, 2024
Chiefs Information: The Chiefs ought to name the Bengals about Tee Higgins

Chiefs Information: The Chiefs ought to name the Bengals about Tee Higgins

October 10, 2024
Julián Álvarez could leave Atlético Madrid in the summer for a major move in La Liga

Julián Álvarez could leave Atlético Madrid in the summer for a major move in La Liga

April 27, 2025

Browse by Category

  • Athletics
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Boxing
  • Cricket
  • Football
  • Golf
  • MMA
  • NBA
  • NFL
  • Racing
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Tennis
Today in Sports

Get the Latest Sports News and Updates on TodayInSports.net. Soccer News, Basketball News, Baseball News, Golf News, Boxing News and More!

CATEGORIES

  • Athletics
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Boxing
  • Cricket
  • Football
  • Golf
  • MMA
  • NBA
  • NFL
  • Racing
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Tennis

Recent News

  • Highlights! Watch undefeated fighter deliver brutal six-second combination knockout
  • Sunday Night Open Thread: I Didn’t Make It Home in Time Edition
  • Cristiano Ronaldo gets major boost from SPL as Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League hopes reignite
  • Contact us
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • DMCA
  • Get the Latest Sports News and Updates on TodayInSports.net.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2024 Today in Sports.
Today in Sports is not responsible for the content of external sites.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Featured News
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • More
    • Rugby
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Soccer
    • NBA
    • Racing
    • Cricket

Copyright © 2024 Today in Sports.
Today in Sports is not responsible for the content of external sites.