Where did the Bundesliga players rank in the 2025 Ballon d’Or

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The ceremony for the 2025 edition of the Ballon d’Or took place last night, and there were only three current Bundesliga players who were nominated for the award.  

Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Michael Olise, Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy and former Bayer Leverkusen forward Florian Wirtz were the Bundesliga players nominated for the award. 

The highest-ranked player was Harry Kane, who ended up 13th thanks to his contributions in helping Bayern Munich regain the Bundesliga title. Despite Olise having an equally impressive season, the French international was the lowest-ranked of the nominations, finishing 30th. 

After finishing as the joint top scorer in the Champions League and also impressing in the second half of the Bundesliga season and the Club World Cup, Guirassy finished 21st. 

Former Leverkusen player Wirtz, who now plays for Liverpool, was voted 29th in the Ballon d’Or rankings. Despite a poorer season for die Werkself, the Köln native was voted German player of the season. 

A poor night for the Bundesliga at the Ballon d’Or:

With only four players from the Bundesliga nominated, one of them not even playing in the league anymore, it was not a good look for the league; however, in recent years, the Ballon d’Or has proven to be more of a popularity contest than an actual sporting merit title.  

The low nominations were a testament to the Bundesliga’s poor performances in Europe. Leverkusen were eliminated at the round of 16 stage by Bayern. While Dortmund and Bayern were both knocked out a round later in the quarter-finals. 

Then in the Europa League, Eintracht Frankfurt were eliminated by Tottenham at the same stage. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan