“For me there is no doubt” - Pedro names footballer who deserves 2025 Ballon d'Or ahead of Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha 

Pedro Rodriguez has thrown his weight behind Spanish midfielder Pedri in the race for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, placing him above other standout players like Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha. In what was a remarkable 2024/25 campaign for Barcelona, Pedri emerged as one of the club’s best players.

With less than three months to go before the 69th Ballon d'Or ceremony, the latest rankings for football’s most prestigious individual prize for the year in review placed Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal in the top two positions. However, Pedro had a different opinion.

Pedro, who enjoyed a decorated career with Barcelona and the Spanish national team, stated that if it were up to him, he would give the Ballon d'Or to Pedri, calling him ‘the best in his position’ in the world.

He told El Día de Tenerife (via Barca Blaugranes):

“Of course I would give Pedri the maximum score. Then Lamine Yamal. And perhaps other candidates who are there are Dembélé or Raphinha, but I would love for Pedri to win,”

“For us it is a pride and a pleasure to have another Tenerife and Canarian in the elite of football, carrying it as he is carrying it, with exemplary behavior and always giving everything on the field. For me there is no doubt: he is the best in his position in the entire world.”

Pedri played an integral role in Barcelona’s domestic treble triumph in the just-concluded campaign. Throughout the 2024/25 season, the Canary Islands native won possession more times (254) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues. He also completed more final third passes than any other LaLiga player.

“It’s always been a dream” – Barcelona star Pedri on Ballon d'Or aspirations

Pedri himself has remained humble amid the growing Ballon d'Or buzz. In an interview with UEFA in April, he acknowledged he had always wished to win the award and insisted that Rodri winning the individual accolade last year made his dream more realistic.

He said:

“Since Rodri won it, it’s shown that a player who runs the midfield and dictates the tempo and the rhythm of the game can win a Ballon d'Or. I was really pleased he won it because aside from the season he had, I really enjoy playing with him when I’m with the national team. He’s a player who controls the game really well, wins the ball back, gets forward, scores goals – he’s everywhere on the pitch.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to lift the Ballon d'Or. But right now, there’s a month to go, and the focus is on the team – on winning the three trophies, which is what really matters and once that month’s over, we’ll see if we can start talking about things like that.”

Pedri scored six goals and provided eight assists across competitions for Barcelona last season.