The English top flight has a lot of reputation because it is perhaps the best league competition in the world. It’s interesting to note, however, that only two Premier League players have taken home the largest individual football trophy.
While George Best, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, and Stanley Matthews won the Ballon d’Or as players in the previous English First Division (before 1992), Michael Owen and Cristiano Ronaldo did it while playing for Liverpool and Manchester United, respectively. Compared to La Liga, which has won 24 games overall, this is nothing.
Nevertheless, a third Premier League player is bound to win a Ballon d’Or before long, as the English top flight appears to be gaining strength every year. In light of it, these ten players are now in the running to become the world’s greatest player.
Factors that rank
Quality: Players have been ranked mostly on the calibre of their recent performances.
Age: Older players may be lower on this list because they have less time to win the honour in the future.
Position: Forwards may be higher on the list since attacking players have a much higher chance of winning the Ballon d’Or; just two defenders have ever taken home the honour.
Club: The only players that stand a chance of winning the award are those who play for teams vying for Premier League crowns.
Van Dijk, Virgil
Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk’s qualifications are undeniable. For more than five years, he has been perhaps the best centre-back in the world, and he continues to be so as he appears destined to guide Liverpool to their second Premier League championship.
He is superior to the other players on this list based on his performance this season. He is already 33, though, so it doesn’t appear likely that he will have time to win a Ballon d’Or in his prime. It would be foolish to expect him to win the trophy, especially considering that he plays centre defence. The Dutchman is unlikely to win it again if he didn’t in 2018–29 after winning UEFA Men’s Player of the Year.
Declaration of Rice Arsenal
Declan Rice, a £100 million midfielder, has a fairly high status in the game; he led West Ham United to the Europa Conference League championship, has represented England in two Euro finals, and appears destined to win major honours with Arsenal. Despite this, he hasn’t been able to claim any of the major trophies yet. His incredible free-kick double against Real Madrid demonstrated that he can produce the spectacular in crucial situations, and at 26, he still has plenty of time to accomplish mem
William Saliba
Arsenal
William Saliba would become the third defender to win a Ballon d’Or, after Franz Beckenbauer and Fabio Cannavaro. It’s a high bar to meet for the Frenchman in light of that.
But he’s got age on his side. Saliba made a name for himself as a top player at Arsenal in his early 20s, whereas Van Dijk played his early career at Southampton and Celtic. His chances of moving to Real Madrid, where he has great ties, would also be increased because Los Blancos has won 12 Ballon d’Ors, which is tied with Barcelona for the most. He has time on his side as well.
Isak Alexander, Newcastle United
Alexander Isak, who presently plays for Newcastle United, is unlikely to be in the running for the prize unless they win a shocking Premier League or Champions League triumph, making this one of the more speculative options. On the other hand, he has a few advantages.
First of all, he is a visually striking goal scorer, and players who are attack-oriented are always more likely to win the Ballon d’Or. Second, given his frequent connections to Barcelona, Liverpool, and Arsenal, it appears quite likely that he will join one of the larger teams. Lastly, he has age on his side at 25, and if he can maintain his present pace, he will be a top forward for many years to come.
Palmer Cole, Chelsea
Cole Palmer has always been a talented player in English football, but he didn’t start to reach his full potential until he transferred to Chelsea from Manchester City. In his first season at Stamford Bridge, he scored 22 league goals and dished out 11 assists, earning him the PFA Young Player of the Year accolade.
Palmer, who scored an equaliser for England against Spain in the 2024 Euros final, also has a talent for the spectacular. Despite only being 22 years old, he is among the world’s top young players and appears to have a bright future. What his ceiling will be is unknown.
Manchester City’s Rodri
Rodri has already received the Ballon d’Or, unlike any other person on this list. He was rightfully regarded as the best player in the world after leading Manchester City to a Premier League championship and assisting Spain in winning Euro 2024—a unique accomplishment for a defense-minded player.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to play since suffering an ACL injury just before accepting the trophy. But at 28, he is far from done, and voters will soon be reminded of why he was once voted the finest football player in the world if he can return to his former level.
Saka Bukayo Arsenal
One of the world’s most thrilling football players is Bukayo Saka. He has performed well on the grandest platform for his nation and, like Rice and Saliba, appears destined to win big at Arsenal. Few wingers in the Premier League have a greater reputation as a result.
When Ian Wright added, “I genuinely believe Saka is burdened with glorious purpose,” he was speaking for all of the Arsenal supporters. Presumably, the club legend was referring to the young player’s potential to guide the Gunners to victory. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old continues to receive personal honours, and the two-time Men’s Player of the Year for England has every right to pursue a Ballon d’Or.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool
Despite being a defender by position, Trent Alexander-Arnold is more of a creative player than a defensive one due to the advantages of the current full-back position. He might eventually win football’s greatest individual honour when you combine that with his almost inevitable summer arrival at Madrid.
Although his choice to leave Anfield has left Liverpool supporters perplexed, the right-back has already stated that he would prefer to win the Ballon d’Or over a World Cup with England, demonstrating how much he wants to do so. He wants to become the later Madrid star to win the renowned golden ball, thus it makes natural that he will pursue La Liga triumph with Los Blancos.
Win a Ballon d’Or [instead of a World Cup], in my opinion. Because I think I can. Being the first fullback to achieve it is something I aspire to.
Salah Mohamed, Liverpool
The fact that Mohamed Salah has yet to win a Ballon d’Or in his illustrious career demonstrates how difficult it is to convince the football community that you are the world’s greatest player. The winger went from being the front-runner to having a remote chance in the 2025 race after Liverpool’s early Champions League exit, even if they were playing in the Premier League this year.
The Egyptian isn’t at the top of the list because he isn’t very old. Nevertheless, he will remain at Anfield for two more years under his new contract. This implies that he cannot be disqualified, even though he most likely would have been if he had left for Saudi Arabia in the summer, as many had feared. Seeing how much energy the 32-year-old has in his legs will be interesting.
Erling Haaland
Manchester City’
It’s unfortunate that Erling Haaland hasn’t already received the honour in his career. He did, after all, score 52 goals in 53 games during a treble-winning season, but regrettably, that season also happened to be the one in which Argentina forward Lionel Messi won the World Cup, giving him the opportunity to win the Ballon d’Or for an unprecedented eighth time.
As a striker for one of the largest teams in the world, the Norwegian’s advantage is that he is still only 24 years old and will likely be considered for the award frequently in the years to come. Although it is not a given that Haaland will win the Ballon d’Or one day, he is currently the most reliable player in the Premier League.
