Africa has produced some of the greatest footballers of the modern era but the Ballon d’Or has proven an almost elusive honour for the continent.
George Weah remains the only African footballer to have won football’s most prestigious individual award, but could that change in 2025?
It’s been 30 years since Weah’s coronation and only Senegal’s Sadio Mane has given Africa representation in the top three in the decades since.
With some big names impressing across Europe’s top leagues, however, that drought could be broken later this year. Using odds from 1xbet/ug, we’ve ranked Africa’s most likely winners of the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Victor Osimhen – 250/1
Victor Osimhen finished eighth in the vote for the 2023 Ballon d’Or, having inspired Napoli’s drought-breaking title success. Osimhen led the league for goals as Napoli were crowned Serie A champions for the first time in 33 years.
Osimhen remains one of world football’s best goalscorers but his hopes of Ballon d’Or success look remote in 2025.
Victor Osimhen for Galatasaray this season:
👤 21 games
⚽ 17 goals
🅰️ 5 assists
🕰️ G/A every 71 minutesElite numbers 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/VvI0lzb03u
— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) January 31, 2025
After a fallout at Napoli, he joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan deal for the current campaign. He’s scored 17 goals in 21 appearances for the Turkish champions but an absence from a top European league and, crucially, the Champions League, do not bode well.
Ademola Lookman – 250/1
Ademola Lookman celebrated being named as Africa’s Footballer of the Year for 2024. The Nigeria international was recognised for his role in Atalanta’s Europa League success, in which he scored a hat-trick in the 3-0 final win over Bayer Leverkusen.
Lookman remains a crucial part of Gian Piero Gasperini’s side in Bergamo and has 14 goals and seven assists in all competitions this season. Atalanta are bidding for a maiden Scudetto this season but have fallen seven points adrift in the title race.
Achraf Hakimi – 200/1
Achraf Hakimi is one of African football’s superstar talents right now, recognised as arguably the best right-back in world football. The Paris Saint-Germain flyer is a crucial cog for the French champions, who are runaway leaders in Ligue 1 again this season.
However, no full-back has ever won the Ballon d’Or, while only three defenders have ever claimed the award.
Serhou Guirassy – 150/1
Serhou Guirassy’s brilliant start to the season at Borussia Dortmund has shortened the striker’s odds of a shock success. After firing Stuttgart to Champions League success last season, the Guinea international has scored 17 goals in 25 games for Dortmund since his summer transfer.
51 – Serhou Guirassy has averaged a goal or assist every 51 minutes in this season’s UEFA Champions League (9G 2A), the best minutes per goal involvement ratio by any player with 300+ minutes played. Champion. @Guirassy_19 pic.twitter.com/3vUq21SOHZ
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) January 29, 2025
He’s the joint-leading scorer in the Champions League this season, having hit nine goals in eight appearances to secure Dortmund’s progress to the play-off round.
Mohamed Salah – Liverpool (7/2)
Mohamed Salah is the likeliest African winner of this year’s award and, currently, the favourite for the prize. Salah was not even included on the 30-player shortlist in 2024 but has taken that omission personally.
It had to be him.
In scoring against Ipswich, Mohamed Salah moves past Thierry Henry into seventh place in the all-time top scorers list 🇪🇬 pic.twitter.com/FpSraiCLzS
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 25, 2025
The Egyptian international has been in electric form for Liverpool and leads the Premier League for goals and assists. He has 40 goal involvements in just 32 appearances for a Liverpool side who have been England and Europe’s most impressive outfit in 2024/25. If the Reds can get over the line for the big trophies this season, Salah could be celebrating individual acclaim.
Read – Eight talking points ahead of the Premier League weekend
See more – 📈 Power Rankings: Real Madrid make their move
