GhanaWeb Feature by Benjamin Sackey
Ahead of the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony, much has been said about the players likely to lift the prestigious accolade with African players firmly in the conversation.
After the official announcement of the final 30 nominees, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi were the only African players to make the list.
While Hakimi won a treble with French giants Paris Saint-Germain, Salah clinched only the Premier League title with Liverpool.
This feature dissects both players’ chances of winning the much-coveted award
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Achraf Hakimi
The Moroccan star has a legitimate chance of winning the Ballon d’Or following his standout performances for PSG in the 2024/2025 season.
Performance statistics:
In Ligue 1, Hakimi made 25 appearances, scoring four goals and providing eight assists.
In the UEFA Champions League where PSG defeated top European sides to emerge champions, he played 17 matches, scored four goals, and made five assists.
In the Coupe de France, he played five games, contributing one goal and one assist.
Hakimi was also instrumental in the inaugural edition of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup.
During the tournament, he played seven matches, scoring twice and registering two assists.
Across the 2024/2025 season, he won 19 aerial duels, completed 142 tackles, and made 37 blocks. As of Matchday 25, he ranked 52nd in Ligue 1 based on defensive metrics.
In total, Hakimi played approximately 55 matches in the season, scoring 11 goals and providing 16 assists.
Trophy-wise, he achieved a historic treble with PSG, winning the UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France.
Praised as one of the best full-backs in the world due to his contributions both in defense and attack, Hakimi has built a strong case.
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Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah delivered one of the best individual seasons of his career, though he lacked major silverware to back it up.
Performance statistics:
Salah had a stellar campaign in the 2024/2025 Premier League season, finishing as the league’s top scorer.
The Egyptian made 38 appearances, scoring 29 goals and providing 18 assists for a total of 47 goal contributions.
Despite Liverpool’s exit in the Round of 16 against PSG in the Champions League, Salah played nine matches, scoring three goals and assisting four.
In the EFL Cup, the Egyptian captain played five games, scoring twice and adding one assist.
Overall, Salah made around 55 appearances during the 2024/2025 season, netting 34 goals and delivering 23 assists.
Though his only major trophy was the Premier League title, his outstanding individual performance could place him among the top contenders for the Ballon d’Or.
Do these players stand a chance?
Salah and Hakimi are certainly in contention for the accolade based on their performances throughout the 2024/2025 season.
However, players like Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, and PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha are widely regarded as favorites to win the award.
If Salah or Hakimi wins, it would mark only the second time an African player has received the prestigious award after Liberia’s George Weah.
However, whether their performances will be enough to convince Ballon d’Or voters remains to be seen.
SB/MA
