The Ballon d'Or Féminin is awarded based on a player's overall performance, including individual skill, team achievements, and fair play. A panel of 50 journalists from the top 50 women's football nations, as ranked by FIFA, vote for their top 10 players from a 30-player shortlist. The points system awards 15 points for first place, 12 for second, and so on down to 1 point for tenth place.
Based on the season's performance, here are the likely top ten positions, or at least who I would put in the top ten. It’s important to say that while most are European players, this is not in the rules; it's more so the competitive level of women’s football in Europe compared to elsewhere. Also, we had the Euros this summer, which would boost players who play for European countries and clubs. This is not in order at all.
Historically, the award has been given to players who score more goals than defenders, so that should be considered. While many players deserve to win it, due to their position on the pitch, many are unlikely to be ill.
If these sides make it to the Euros final, a Spanish or English international will likely win. Also, due to their trophy collection this season, their club will likely be Chelsea or Barcelona, with Barca and Chelsea winning their leagues' domestic trebles and the Champions League. This, therefore, reduces the possible top 10.
These players are my top 10 as they tick all the criteria. They have achieved something this season, e.g., winning trophies with either their club or country, which ticks off the team achievement requirement which ticksThese players have performed to a high level and have made a significant impact on the teams overall outcome and the trophies they have won and also developed as player plus they did all of this with maturity and fair play. These are not just players who have scored goals but have also been leaders on and off the pitch, those who scored crucial penalties or saved the team with their defensive skills.
While this award is notoriously given to players who score goals, I believe there is some incredible defensive talent this year that should not go unnoticed.
The award will likely go to Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas, or Mariona Caldentey. That's a fact, whether it is the correct answer or not; it will not go to an England player, even if it should, even though they lost the Euros.
Hannah Hampton
If she ranks above 5th place, she will be the highest-ranked player in the leading award, as Mary Earps got the highest of 5th place. Unfortunately, she is unlikely to win the award as a keeper. She will likely win the goalkeeper award, but has tough competition with Ann-Katrin Berger.
She is England and Chelsea's number one and has proved herself this season and in the Euros.
She got the Golden Glove with 13 clean sheets in the WSL. She single-handedly won the Euros for England, saving four penalties overall, two of which came from massive players in the final, like Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati.
She was also part of the Chelsea side that finished the season unbeaten, scored the highest number of WSL points ever, and claimed a historic domestic treble.
Alessia Russo
She was the WSL's top scorer and also a Champions League winner.
Russo scored the first penalty against Sweden in the shootout, which was eventually only one of 3/7 penalties for England that went in, so it was very crucial.
She scored the equaliser in the final with a stunning header to keep England in the game.
Alexia Putellas
While she is still a big player and plays at the highest level, other players have caught up to her and her abilities.
She performed excellently at the Euros group stage but could not keep that form into the knockout stages. She missed a penalty against Switzerland and was substituted off in the second half of the final when they lost.
Now, do I believe she desires the award? No, will she likely get it? Yes.
Lucy Bronze
If the award were given to the bravest and strongest women in football, Lucy Bronze would have them all; her middle name is tough. She is just that she played the entire Euros with a fractured tibia and was forced off the pitch in the final with another knock, as her teammates joked the only way you would get her off the pitch was in a wheelchair.
Mariona Caldentey
Caldentey moved to Arsenal this season, scored 16 goals, and has seven assists across all competitions.
She was crucial in the side's Champions League success due to her previous experience winning that major trophy with Barcelona.
She scored in the Euros final but ultimately missed out in the shootout when Hannah Hampton saved her penalty.
Leah Williamson
She became the most decorated England captain and the first captain of a senior side to lift a trophy on foreign soil, after she lifted the Champions League with Arsenal.
While she missed her penalty in the shootout, I don’t believe that will bother her, and how proud she is of her team. She is a true leader and showed fair play throughout the season.
She was part of the back-to-back Euros squad and has won everything except the World Cup, which is her next challenge.
Bonus for her, she saw her Spurs-loving Dad in an Arsenal shirt after he lost a bet that if she won the Champions League, he would have to wear one.
Aitana Bonmati
She lost the Euros and Champions League final, so she should not win. Yes, I know she won the domestic treble in a one-club league where Barcelona dominated considerably. Though it will likely be her, it would be nice for a change and to end the Spanish dominance we have experienced for the last four years. Then again, Alexia won it, and she did not play in the Euros in 2022, so let that sink in.
While she is a fantastic player, she had her penalty saved in the final and was not at her best due to illness.
She scored the winner in extra time of the semi-final against Germany to send Spain to their first-ever Euros final, where it was a rerun of the World Cup final, and they came in as the favourites, unlike England, who had played three games of extra time and shootouts.
She did win the player of the tournament, I am, however, unsure why she won it on stats, as Alexia Putellas had more goal involvement.
Chloe Kelly
Chloe Clutch Kelly what else do I need to say. This nomination is likely based on the Euros.
While she spent the second half of the season falling in love with the game again with Arsenal and proved all the haters wrong when she won the Champions League with them.
The last two euros she’s technically scored the winning goal even if this time around it was a penalty.
She took on the role as super sub and performed incredibly with both assists in the Sweden Game when she then got them back into the game against in the shootout.
She scored the winner in the semi-finals against Italy from the rebound of her penalty with minute to go to penalties.
In the final she assist Alessia Russo equaliser and scored the winning penalty from the spot.
Ewa Pajor
In the 2024/25 season she scored 52 goals, 16 assists. Won Liga F, Copa de la Reina and the Spanish Super Cup.
She joined Barcelona this season and made her impact known and had an incredible run th the Champions League to be the all time goal scorer.
Pernille Harder
Harder had 25 goals, nine assists and won the Bundesliga German Cup and German Super cup.
As she is in the Fraser-Bunesliga they are considerably under nominated and under-appreciated by the Ballon d’Or especially as they crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter final.
But like Chelsea and Barcelona they won the domestic treble, and Harder had a big impact on that achievement.
She also captained Denmark at the Euros but they left at the group-stages which will impact her ranking.
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