Ousmane Dembélé emerged victorious at the 2025 Best FIFA Men’s Player awards in Qatar, edging out Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal in a result that mirrored the Ballon d’Or. But the FIFA prize carries its own flavour — decided by a quartet of voting blocs — and the captains of the world’s national teams delivered a revealing snapshot of who they believe defined the year.
How the vote worked
The Best FIFA awards split influence across four groups: each national team captain, one nominated coach per country, one nominated journalist and an online fan vote. Every voter ranked their top three, with five, three and one points awarded respectively. That mix of peer, expert and public opinion gives the trophy a different texture to other individual prizes — and the captains’ ballots, in particular, offer a fascinating window into the players who earned the respect of their rivals.
What the captains picked
Below are the standout choices from some of the game’s most recognisable captains, revealing both consensus and surprising personal preferences:
Lionel Messi (Argentina) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Kylian Mbappé; 3rd: Lamine Yamal
Mohamed Salah (Egypt) — 1st: Achraf Hakimi; 2nd: Ousmane Dembélé; 3rd: Kylian Mbappé
Harry Kane (England) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Vitinha; 3rd: Mohamed Salah
Son Heung-min (South Korea) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Harry Kane; 3rd: Lamine Yamal
Martin Ødegaard (Norway) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Vitinha; 3rd: Harry Kane
Andy Robertson (Scotland) — 1st: Mohamed Salah; 2nd: Ousmane Dembélé; 3rd: Nuno Mendes
Luka Modrić (Croatia) — 1st: Vitinha; 2nd: Ousmane Dembélé; 3rd: Lamine Yamal
Joshua Kimmich (Germany) — 1st: Vitinha; 2nd: Harry Kane; 3rd: Pedri
Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary) — 1st: Mohamed Salah; 2nd: Ousmane Dembélé; 3rd: Kylian Mbappé
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Achraf Hakimi; 3rd: Lamine Yamal
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) — 1st: Kylian Mbappé; 2nd: Ousmane Dembélé; 3rd: Raphinha
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands) — 1st: Mohamed Salah; 2nd: Ousmane Dembélé; 3rd: Nuno Mendes
Bernardo Silva (Portugal) — 1st: Vitinha; 2nd: Nuno Mendes; 3rd: Ousmane Dembélé
Robert Lewandowski (Poland) — 1st: Lamine Yamal; 2nd: Raphinha; 3rd: Pedri
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Achraf Hakimi; 3rd: Kylian Mbappé
David Alaba (Austria) — 1st: Kylian Mbappé; 2nd: Achraf Hakimi; 3rd: Ousmane Dembélé
Youri Tielemans (Belgium) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Lamine Yamal; 3rd: Vitinha
Edin Džeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Lamine Yamal; 3rd: Mohamed Salah
Alphonso Davies (Canada) — 1st: Harry Kane; 2nd: Ousmane Dembélé; 3rd: Lamine Yamal
James Rodríguez (Colombia) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Kylian Mbappé; 3rd: Lamine Yamal
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Denmark) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Kylian Mbappé; 3rd: Harry Kane
Aleksandar Mitrović (Serbia) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Kylian Mbappé; 3rd: Vitinha
Jan Oblak (Slovenia) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Raphinha; 3rd: Lamine Yamal
Unai Simón (Spain) — 1st: Lamine Yamal; 2nd: Pedri; 3rd: Nuno Mendes
Tim Ream (United States) — 1st: Ousmane Dembélé; 2nd: Kylian Mbappé; 3rd: Nuno Mendes
Patterns and surprises
A few clear themes emerge from the captains’ ballots. Ousmane Dembélé dominated as a first-choice pick across a broad swathe of national leaders, reflecting his influence at club level and the respect he commands among peers. Lamine Yamal earned high praise too, notably from Spain’s captain, while Vitinha and Kylian Mbappé also attracted strong support from midfield and forward-thinking captains. Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane appear as consistent top-three presences, underlining their enduring status among world football’s elite.
What it tells us
The captains’ votes are more than a tally — they’re a peer review. When rival leaders place a player at the top of their lists, it signals admiration for impact, consistency and influence on the pitch. This year’s ballots painted a picture of a shifting elite: established superstars remain influential, but a new wave of talent is forcing its way into the conversation.
The Best FIFA result confirmed one narrative — Dembélé’s rise — but the captains’ choices added texture, nuance and a few surprises, reminding fans that the debate over football’s finest is as lively and subjective as ever.
