The Ballon d’Or 2025 race took a massive turn after Liverpool exit the UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 exit will have a significant impact on the Ballon d’Or race later this year, because it spells the end for the frontrunner in Mohamed Salah, while close competitor, Raphinha continues to light it up.
While a significant amount of fans and pundits will agree that Mohamed Salah has been the best player in the world so far this season, Raphinha has never been too far behind, and his form in the UEFA Champions League could give the Egyptian a run for his money in the Ballon d’Or race.
Raphinha’s UCL Heroics to become decisive in Ballon d’Or 2025
The Brazilian was outstanding yet again in Europe’s premier club competition on Tuesday, scoring twice and setting up another as Barcelona completed the double over Portuguese side Benfica to pick up the quarter finals ticket.
Raphinha, who scored the only goal to give 10 man Barcelona a slender lead in the first leg, takes his goal involvement in the competition to 16 this season, setting a new record for most goal contributions by a Brazilian in a single campaign in the competition.
His total also means Lionel Messi, in the 2011/12 season remains the only Barcelona player in history to be directly involved in more Champions League goals in a single campaign.
It has been so far so good for the former Leeds United attacker, both collectively and individually, and these are real source of concern for Mohamed Salah and his cause to be crowned the best player in the world later in the year, even so as his own Champions League journey ends.
Mohamed Salah Incredible but Limited
Mohamed Salah is having a fantastic season as well for Liverpool. His Premier League form is the best there has ever been for a individual in history. If this go right, he is five to six games away from leading Liverpool to their second Premier League title.
Most goal in Europe top five leagues and it is the same in the assist category, as well as big chances created. The latter two are incredible given he barely takes set-piece. However, his blliance has been limited only to the Premier League.
Yet, despite these great numbers, Raphinha himself isn’t far behind. Only Robert Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappé have more than his 20 goal contributions in LaLiga so far, 13 goals and seven assists.
The Brazilian is the only player to create 50 plus chances from open-play in LaLiga this term (57). How has also created more big chances than anyone in top five leagues with 21 in 26 games.
His incredible form has seen Barcelona clinch the Spanish Super Cup, while they continue to lead the way in the league despite playing one fewer game, and are very much active in the Copa del Rey.
Raphinha is one of the few players close the the second best to Salah on league form but when you add his Champions League pedigree, the narrative may be altered.
When it comes to the grandest competition of all, Salah scored three goals, which included a penalty. He should know he could have done much better before the club’s loss to PSG.
He has been decent with the assist, setting up four Liverpool goals but his contribution is considerably lean compared to Raphinha, who has either scored or assist in eight of his ten appearances in the competition.
Missed opportunities like his penalty against Real Madrid and a couple of other chances failed to put away. Then add that he missed the trip to PSV, where Liverpool were handed their first defeat of the competition.
He was completely nullified over the two legs in their round of 16 shootout loss to PSG Paris Saint-Germain, performances which have now served him consequence in the race for the Ballon d’Or 2025.
Should things continue to go well for Barcelona for the remainder of the season and they clinch the important titles, that will leave the debate in the favour of the Brazilian, although just ahead of Salah, because you never know how Real Madrid will fare come the end of the season.
Raphinha’s astonishing UCL campaign is not only backed by the numbers, but also memorable performances like his five goals in three meetings with Benfica and a hat-trick against Bayern Munich during the group phase.
Real Madrid UCL Pedigree and other Factors
Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé will also be considered frontrunners, even so if they manage to guide Los Blancos to another Champions League glory while not also forgetting that all these players are having consecutive world class seasons.
Kylian Mbappé also has that performance against Manchester City in the playoffs, which will serve as reference points when the time comes to put things together and crown the best player on the planet. Unfortunately, Mohamed Salah has no such performance in the Champions League this season.
Harry Kane, and of course Ousmane Dembele will all also be looking to help their team go all the way in the Champions League as the league look secured for Bayern Munich and PSG respectively. Doing so well also make them genuine competitor for the title.
It is incredibly unfair to demand much from a player that gives so much in the form of Mohamed Salah, but Liverpool’s early elimination from the Champions League opens the door for other players to topple the Egyptian.
Salah’s cause may of course be aided should Barcelona and Real Madrid not progress pass the next round – but should they, then all hopes is lost.
A brilliant season yet limited to the Premier League will see him win the individual awards the English topflight has to spare, while he will look back and wish they had received a favourable draw in the Champions League, after they had finished top of the pack during the group phase, it isn’t enough a consolation, because he is bound to fall short in what could have been his Ballon d’Or to lose.
Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
