Neither Vinicius nor Mbappé: In France they shock everyone and reveal an unexpected candidate for next year’s Ballon d’Or

Although 2025 has just begun, the Ballon d’Or race is already underway, with two notable players, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé, competing for the prestigious title. However, they are not the only contenders. While many footballers aspire to win this coveted award, both the Brazilian and French stars are primarily focused on making history with Real Madrid.

In France, according to the Spanish outlet “Defensa Central”, some experts believe that Mohamed Salah remains a strong candidate, with the potential to take the Ballon d’Or from the attackers of the current European champions. The Egyptian forward is in excellent form, as shown by his impressive goal tally. He continues to play a key role at Liverpool under Arn Slot and is consistently performing at a high level.

That said, the season is still in its early stages, and the most critical part of the campaign is yet to unfold. The true contenders will emerge during the final stages. It’s not the first time that the Liverpool forward has had a strong start to the season, only to be disappointed later on.

Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé continues to progress and could achieve even greater things in the near future. At Santiago Bernabéu, there is considerable excitement about his potential, and Florentino Pérez believes he will leave a lasting legacy with Real Madrid.

The leaders of the club are aware that the Ballon d’Or is a significant ambition for many players, but they treat it as a secondary goal, particularly following the events of the last edition. It remains to be seen whether the club will change its approach and attend the ceremony or maintain its stance of not participating.

Ultimately, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé are not concerned with such issues. Both are entirely focused on their upcoming matches with their teams and are not distracted by individual honors or making appearances at Cibeles in May. Their shared objective is the success of their respective teams. Let’s hope they continue to prioritize this mindset.