Women's Ballon d'Or Power Rankings – England heroes in the running after dramatic Euro 2025 triumph over Spain

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Welcome to the latest edition of TNT Sports' 2025 Women's Ballon d'Or Power Rankings. We will be bringing you regular updates to the power rankings across the next few months until the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony on September 22. With Euro 2025 and WAFCON wrapped up, let's see which players have entered the race for football's most prestigious prize.

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The 2025 Women's Ballon d'Or race has become fascinating following the conclusion of the UEFA European Championship and the delayed Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

England became European champions for the second consecutive time, while Nigeria were crowned the Queens of Africa for a record 10th time.

The tournaments saw some new stars emerge as well as some familiar faces producing performances that earned them the right to be considered a potential winner for the prestigious award in 2025.

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But which players are on our top 10 list?

As a reminder, voting is done based on the season just gone, but including Euro and WAFCON 2025. That does complicate matters a little for players playing in the NWSL, unfortunately.

Let us take a look at the latest edition of the power rankings as there are some new additions in the running.

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10 - Sandy Baltimore (Chelsea)

Sandy Baltimore enjoyed an excellent debut season in England. Often asked to play out of position at left-back, Baltimore excelled no matter what manager Sonia Bompastor asked of her, and she had her moment when she scored twice in the FA Cup final victory over Manchester United.

Unfortunately, she has taken a hit by France's exit from Euro 2025 at the quarter-finals stage.

Sandy Baltimore celebrates during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Group D match between France and England at Stadion Letzigrund on July 05, 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland

Image credit: Getty Images

9 - Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid)

Nigeria were crowned the Queens of Africa after a stunning comeback in the final against hosts Morocco and Rasheedat Ajibade played a key role in the nation’s success.

The forward was named Player of the Tournament for her performances and she also enjoyed a fine domestic campaign where she finished as Atletico Madrid’s top scorer in all competitions.

Rasheedat Ajibade poses with her Woman of the Tournament trophy.

Image credit: Getty Images

8 - Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC)

Here is a NWSL player who might have a chance. Are we including Berger based on one game? Honestly, yes. What Berger did against the French, including giving us one of the greatest sports pictures of all time, was outstanding. As we saw in the Olympics last year, when the stage gets bigger, Berger gets better.

We talk a lot about the Ballon d'Or being a "moments" award. Even though she was caught out of position for the winning goal as Spain knocked out Germany, her quarter-final performance will live long in the memory.

Ann-Katrin Berger of Germany makes a save during the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 quarter-final between France and Germany at the Parc Saint-Jacques (St. Jakob Park) in Basel, on July 19, 2025

Image credit: Getty Images

7 - Leah Williamson (Arsenal)

Williamson followed up winning the UEFA Women's Champions League by becoming the first England captain of the senior men's or women’s team to lift a trophy on foreign soil.

It is a remarkable turnaround for a player who was unable to compete at the previous World Cup after suffering an ACL injury.

She was in imperious form in the Champions League final for Arsenal, and she was solid once more against Spain where her leadership, calm and poise allowed The Lionesses to shut out Spain after the first half.

Yes, she missed her penalty in the shoot-out, but she will not be too bothered about that after leading England to consecutive Euro titles.

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6 - Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Putellas is the biggest dropper from our previous edition and this is not to reflect too badly on her own performances.

Throughout the domestic and international campaign, the two-time Ballon d'Or winner has been at the top of her game, but in the biggest moments, other players have stepped up.

Unfortunately, she was unable to replicate her terrific form in the group stages into the knockout games.

The midfielder missed a penalty against Switzerland and was then substituted in the second half of the final defeat to England, and could only watch on as Spain endured shoot-out heartbreak.

5 - Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

What a season it has been for the striker. The Arsenal star delivered when it mattered in the Euro final as she produced a stunning header to equalise for England against Spain.

She might have struggled to have an impact in the previous knockout games, but The Lionesses would not have come back into the match had Russo not produced the goods.

She has enjoyed a stellar campaign after finishing as the WSL’s top scorer, and can now add another Euros gold medal to her cabinet after helping Arsenal win the Champions League.

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4 - Hannah Hampton (Chelsea)

England’s new No. 1 has officially become a household name.

The Chelsea shot-stopper came into the tournament under a cloud not of her making, after Mary Earps announced her retirement from international football, which no doubt added more pressure on Hampton.

However, she was one of England’s best performers throughout the Euros. Hampton showed that she was as impressive with her feet as she was with her hands.

But she will be remembered for her crucial saves in the shoot-out wins, especially in the final where she denied Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati.

Let us not forget that she also made some key saves during the quarters against Sweden, and she was part of a Chelsea side who finished the season unbeaten and claimed a historic domestic treble.

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3 - Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

Caldentey more than lived up to the billing in her first season in England. She finished with 16 goals and seven assists across the WSL and Champions League and was considered by many to be Arsenal's best player, particularly once Renee Slegers took over from Jonas Eidevall in the autumn.

She was a huge reason for Arsenal's Champions League success and her performance in the Euros final didn't deserve to end in defeat. Caldentey put the Spaniards ahead with a bullet header in the first-half, and she would go on to be one of the best players on the park.

However, her final ended in agonising fashion as she missed her penalty in the shoot-out, but she can hold her head up high following her dynamic display.

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2 - Chloe Kelly (Arsenal)

Of course, ‘Clutch Chloe’ had to find herself on this list.

We are now talking about a player who has delivered the winning moment for England in their back-to-back Euros triumphs.

Kelly excelled in her role as the super sub for The Lionesses in this tournament and had an impact in every knockout tie leading up to the title.

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The forward caused chaos with her pinpoint crosses in the quarter-final against Sweden as well as scoring a key penalty in the shoot-out.

She then followed that up by scoring the winning goal in the dying seconds against Italy in the semi-finals before hopping off the bench to set up Russo for the equalising goal in the final.

When she stepped up to take the winning penalty, there was never any doubt in any fans’ mind that she would execute the perfect spot-kick to crown The Lionesses as the Queens of Europe once again.

1 - Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)

Yes, Bonmati did not win the Champions League. Yes, she missed a penalty in shoot-out of the final which meant Spain were unable to follow up their World Cup triumph by winning the Euros.

But make no mistake about it, Bonmati remains the best player in the world.

The Barcelona star was struck down with viral meningitis just days before the start of the tournament, which might explain why she did not hit the heights at the start of the Euros.

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However, she was key for Spain in the knockout rounds and delivered a clever and cheeky finish in the semi-finals against Germany in extra time to send her nation into the final.

Bonmati did get her hands on some silverware at the end of the match, which was the award for the best player of the Euros, and it is likely that she will lift the Ballon d’Or for the third time in a row.

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