Honestly, if we're talking about who could pull a big upset in the ballon d'or 2025 ranking, my money's on Vitinha from PSG or even Nuno Mendes. I know you probably don’t see defenders or midfielders usually winning, but Mendes had a ridiculous season—he won the treble with PSG, was Man of the Match in a Nations League final, and just shut down players like Yamal who everyone's talking about. If he has a sick Club World Cup, people might start giving him real credit.

Then there’s Vitinha. Even Portugal’s coach, Roberto Martinez, is hyping him as a future Ballon d’Or winner. He’s been everywhere in midfield for PSG and has stepped up in the big games. I remember not even really paying attention to him last year, now everyone’s like "wait, could Vitinha actually win this thing?" If the stars line up and he has a few more standout moments, it wouldn't be the craziest thing ever to see his name at the top. Ballon d'Or loves a good underdog story!