Footiehound

Who Is the Best Footballer in the World in 2025?

• Ken Anucha
• April 30, 2025

For over a decade, that question barely needed asking. You either said Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo – and even if you were wrong, you were still kind of right. They defined an era, a generation, and rewrote the rules on what “best” even meant. But as football marches on and time inevitably catches up with every great, the question has reopened like a fresh wound: who is the best player in the world—right now?

And honestly? It’s not that easy anymore.

We asked TipsGG experts, proper football heads, and not a single answer matched another. Everyone had their personal take, their cult hero, their aesthetic preference. And that’s where this article begins. Not with a definitive answer – but with a battlefield of contenders. Some are obvious. Some less so. Some are purely joy. Others are efficiency machines. But all of them have a case.

The Yamal Cult Is Growing – And I’ve Joined

Let’s start with a player whose name might not be on your shortlist – yet. Lamine Yamal.

If you know, you know. And if you’ve watched him glide past defenders for Barcelona or Spain, you absolutely know. He might not have the stats of Haaland. He might not have the trophies of Salah. But there’s something else. A purity to his game. A Messi-esque energy – not in numbers, but in soul.

The way he reads the game at just 16, how he feints, how he creates space where there is none – it’s not just talent, it’s sorcery. Yes, he’s inconsistent. Against Dortmund in the first leg, he was electric. In the second, less so. But when he’s on it – and that’s more often than not – Yamal plays football the way it was meant to be played.

He already helped Spain win the Euros. He’s not just a wonderkid. He’s clutch. He’s that guy. It’s early, but the signs are outrageous. If football is art, then Yamal is a prodigy painter still discovering just how much he can dazzle.

Mbappé and the Asterisk

Normally, you’d expect Kylian Mbappé’s name here – and it is. But not how you think.

Yes, he’s still absurdly fast. Yes, his ceiling is still as high as ever. But in 2025, it’s hard to put him at the very top. He’s hot and cold. Some games he’s the best in the world. Others, he disappears. It’s not ability – no one’s questioning that – it’s consistency.

And then there’s that feeling: that even when Mbappé dominates, he does so in a way that feels routine now. There’s brilliance, but not as much magic. You can appreciate him without being surprised anymore. That’s the paradox of greatness – it becomes expected.

The Forgotten Goal Machines: Kane, Lewandowski, Lautaro

Let’s talk goals. Because there are players banging them in at ridiculous rates—and barely getting a mention.

Harry Kane. Thirty-four goals. Twelve assists. Forty-one games. And we act like it’s normal. Ten goals in twelve Champions League games. Still not enough. Why? Because it’s the Bundesliga? Because Bayern had a bumpy year? Or is it just Kane’s curse – brilliance without the silverware?

Lewandowski’s in the same boat. He’s got 25 in 30 in La Liga, and 11 in 12 in the Champions League. Yet he’s treated like an antique. You know the goals will come. And somehow that makes them boring. It’s not fair. But that’s how the narrative works.

Lautaro Martínez? Clutch for Inter. Scoring non-stop. Possibly dragging his side to a Champions League final. But again – his name rarely enters the room when “best in the world” is mentioned. If output alone crowned kings, these three would rule together.

Salah: The Most Disrespected Superstar?

Now let’s get serious.

Mohamed Salah is the best player in the world in 2025. Period.

Forget the Ballon d’Or politics for a second. Just watch him. Just check the stats. Just see the context. Salah isn’t just scoring—he’s creating. He’s not just playing well – he’s carrying. In a Premier League season that’s more brutal than ever, he’s got 27 goals and 18 assists in just 32 league matches. That’s over 45 goal contributions.

He’s not doing this in a league where teams roll over. He’s doing it in the toughest league in the world, and dragging Liverpool towards the title. And yes, he “only” got three goals and four assists in the Champions League. And yes, people will point to that PSG exit like it was all his fault.

But here’s the thing: Salah has reached the point where missing a few games of magic feels like catastrophe. That’s how high the standards are. He didn’t assist in the EFL Cup Final and people called him a flop. That’s the weight he carries.

And yet, when you strip it all down – importance to his team, consistency, output, big moments – Salah ticks every single box.

Rafinha and the Rise of a New Barça

Now if there’s anyone who’s shaken the Ballon d’Or race from the shadows, it’s Rafinha.

Let’s be real – nobody saw this coming. At Leeds, he was good. At Barça, people expected flair, maybe some chaos, maybe some inconsistency. What they didn’t expect was one of the most complete attacking seasons from a Brazilian in Barcelona colors since Neymar.

Rafinha’s numbers this season are silly. In the Champions League alone: 12 games, 12 goals, 7 assists. That’s not just good – that’s finalist campaign good. That’s “we need someone to win us this game” good.

And it’s not just the numbers. It’s when they’ve come. Against Bayern? Clutch. Against Benfica? Game-changer. Against Dortmund? Ruthless. These aren’t padded stats in dead rubbers – these are headline performances.

In La Liga, he’s added 13 goals and 10 assists. That brings him to a ridiculous 28 goals and 22 assists in all competitions. Forty-seven games, fifty goal contributions. Rafinha has gone from “might come good” to “one of the best on the planet”—in a single season.

And if Barcelona do the treble – and they could – Rafinha will have his fingerprints on every trophy. And the Ballon d’Or voters will not ignore that.

The Curious Case of Ousmane Dembélé

Then there’s Dembélé. The enigma.

This season, finally, we’ve seen what all the hype was about when he first left Dortmund. At PSG, he’s reborn. More consistent. Less wasteful. Still electric. He’s added output to his explosiveness – 32 goals, 11 assists, across 42 games. And again, 7 goals in the Champions League, where PSG are still alive.

So what’s holding him back? Perception, probably. He’s still “the guy who could’ve been better.” And maybe his Ligue 1 success comes with a mental asterisk for some people. But it shouldn’t.

If PSG win the Champions League, Dembélé will absolutely be in the conversation. But is he the best in the world right now? Not quite. He’s a monster on form – but there’s still a sense that we’re watching a player at 90%, not 100%.

The Pedri Factor

Here’s where things get subtle.

You can’t talk about Barcelona’s return to dominance without talking about Pedri. No, he doesn’t have Salah’s numbers. He doesn’t have Kane’s headlines. But watch Barça, and you’ll understand.

He’s the heart. The tempo. The guy who keeps everything ticking without looking flashy. There’s no stat for controlling the game – but Pedri does it better than anyone not named Modrić. He may never win a Ballon d’Or. But football purists know: without Pedri, this Barcelona doesn’t click.

Honorable Mentions and Harsh Realities

A quick shoutout to some big names who’ve had massive seasons – but just miss out on that top tier conversation.

• Saka — Arsenal’s talisman, but injuries hurt his campaign. If Arsenal had gone all the way in the league or Europe, maybe we’re having a different conversation.

• Rodri — The most complete midfielder in the world. But like Pedri, suffers from “not sexy enough” syndrome.

• Lautaro Martínez — Already mentioned, but worth repeating. If Inter go all the way, expect his name to pop up more.

• Haaland – A victim of his own brilliance last season. 2025 hasn’t had the same glow.

So Who Actually Wins the Ballon d’Or?

This is where it gets political.

Because as we all know, the Ballon d’Or isn’t about who’s best—it’s about who wins.

If Barcelona win the treble? Rafinha walks into that ceremony in Monaco with a crown already on his head. He’ll have the narrative, the stats, the trophies, and the decisive moments.

If PSG win it? It’s open. Mbappé won’t win it this year, but Dembélé might get a late charge. Though again, he doesn’t quite feel “Ballon d’Or winner” level yet.

If Liverpool win the league and nothing else? Salah should win. He probably won’t. But he should. Because no one has done more for their team this season, in a tougher league, with less help.

It’ll come down to the Champions League. Like always. And we’ll pretend it’s about the “best player in the world” when really it’s “best player on the best team.”

My Verdict

So here it is, laid bare.

• The best footballer in the world right now? Mohamed Salah. For form, consistency, output, leadership, and pure brilliance – he’s unmatched.

• The player I’m most excited to watch? Lamine Yamal. He is joy personified.

• The likely Ballon d’Or winner? Rafinha – if Barcelona complete the treble.
  

But again – football isn’t fair. It never was.

It forgets players like Kane, who do it every year and get nothing. It overhypes the “next big thing” until they collapse under pressure. And it writes off greatness if it isn’t shiny enough.

So maybe the answer to who the best player in the world is… depends on what you’re looking for. Are you looking for raw goals? Eye test magic? Trophy hauls? Stats? Influence?

Or maybe, just maybe… the best player in the world is the one that makes you feel something.

For me, that’s Salah. For you? That’s your call.