Ballon d’Or 2035: Who are the future football stars?

Future Predictions: Who Will Win the Ballon d’Or 2035?

Predicting the winner of the Ballon d’Or has always been a challenge. Traditionally, the dispute centered on figures like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but football is constantly evolving, presenting new talents. Now, we venture to predict the winner of the prestigious award in 2035, analyzing the current landscape and the trajectory of young promises. The 2025 Ballon d’Or is just around the corner, but our gaze extends into the future. To do this, we will analyze the performance of recent winners and their steps ten years before obtaining the award.

Max Dowman, Rio Ngumoha and Lamine Yamal, considered as possible long-term contenders for the Ballon d’Or.Historical analysis provides us with valuable clues. In the 21st century, Messi and Ronaldo dominated the award, but for this prediction, we will focus on their most recent victories and those of other winners, observing their achievements a decade before being awarded.

• Luis Figo (2000): In 1990, at 17 years old, he was already making his professional debut and playing for the Portuguese national team.
• Michael Owen (2001): Ten years earlier, at 12 years old, he signed with Liverpool.
• Ronaldo (2002): In 1992, at 16 years old, he was a promising player in Brazil, although he had not yet made his professional debut.
• Pavel Nedved (2003): At 21 years old in 1993, he was already playing professionally and had been signed by Sparta Prague.
• Andriy Shevchenko (2004): At 18 years old, he played in the youth team of Dynamo Kyiv.
• Ronaldinho (2005): At 15 years old, he was part of the lower categories of Grêmio.
• Fabio Cannavaro (2006): At 23 years old, he was a starter in Serie A and represented Italy in the Olympic Games.
• Kaká (2007): At 15 years old, he had not yet made his professional debut with São Paulo.
• Cristiano Ronaldo (2017): At 22 years old, he had a considerable market value and was about to have his first star season with Manchester United.
• Luka Modric (2018): At 23 years old, he joined Tottenham Hotspur.
• Karim Benzema (2022): At 24 years old, he was at his best, playing for Real Madrid.
• Lionel Messi (2023): At 26 years old, he was already a legend at Barcelona.
• Rodri (2024): At 18 years old, he had not yet made his professional debut with Villarreal.

Rodri in the lower categories of Villarreal in 2014.Based on these data, we can divide the future winners into categories:

• Pre-teens.
• Teenagers with a long way to go.
• Teenagers with professional experience.
• Professionals in their twenties with big transfers.
• Authentic contenders for the Ballon d’Or.

Who will win the Ballon d’Or in 2035? In the “pre-teen” category, we discard the prediction for ethical reasons. However, in the category of experienced teenage professionals, the young Max Dowman, 15 years old, with appearances in the Premier League with Arsenal, is a strong candidate.

Analysis of Max Dowman and his potential.In the category of young talents with professional minutes, we highlight Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, Rio Ngumoha from Liverpool, and Konstantinos Karetsas, with a promising future. For established teenagers, we find Lamine Yamal and Estão, who already shine in elite football. As for professionals in their twenties, the competition is fierce. Jude Bellingham, Pedri, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Désiré Doué, all with a great future ahead.

Finally, for the player who will defy time, the choice comes down to Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé. Although Haaland is younger, Mbappé is my choice, with a less problematic injury history and a playing style that could endure.

Mbappé, with his skill and athleticism, has the potential to follow in Messi’s footsteps and establish himself as a football legend. If Mbappé manages to score five goals or assists in LaLiga this season, he will become the second player to reach over 300 goals and assists at the age of 26. The first was Messi, who won his eighth and last Ballon d’Or.