Another year is almost over and 2025 has been a strong year for many footballers.
From emerging young talent to experienced older heads showing they’ve still very much got it, BBC Sport looks at some of the best players in the men’s game over the course of the last 12 months.
You can vote for who you think has been the best in 2025 at the bottom of the article.
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
The England captain has been in the form of his life this year, continuing to be prolific for Bayern Munich.
The former Spurs striker, 32, has scored an incredible 60 goals for club and country in 2025.
Amazingly that is still some way off the record for the most goals in a calendar year, which is currently held by Lionel Messi. The Argentina forward scored 91 goals in 2012.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Lamine Yamal is only 18 but it feels like he has been on the scene for a while as he regularly makes the headlines for his standout performances.
He shone for Spain as they won Euro 2024 last year and has continued to rise in 2025.
The teenager has seven goals and eight assists after 14 La Liga games for Barcelona so far this season.
In the first half of this year, he scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists for club and country.
Ousmane Dembele (Paris St-Germain)
Ousmane Dembele made an incredible start to 2025 as he scored 15 goals in his first eight games of the year on his way to finishing the 2024-25 campaign with 35 goals in 53 games – by far and away his best goalscoring form in any season.
The 28-year-old’s performances on the pitch saw him win his first Ballon d’Or and although the goals haven’t quite flowed as well so far this term, it has nevertheless been a brilliant year for the France forward.
Erling Haaland (Man City)
It takes a brave person not to captain Erling Haaland in their Fantasy Premier League team because the Manchester City striker, 25, has been simply sensational in front of goal this season.
He has scored 25 goals in just 24 appearances this season while he was in equally deadly form for Norway as he helped them qualify for a first World Cup since 1998 by scoring 16 goals in their eight qualifiers.
Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
This has been a difficult season so far for Cole Palmer with injury limiting his game time but he was the standout player at this summer’s Club World Cup and was a key player for Chelsea last season.
He helped the Blues secure a return to the Champions League for this season, provided two vital assists as Chelsea beat Real Betis in the Conference League final and then was named player of the tournament at the Club World Cup, outshining some of the biggest teams and players in world football.
Palmer, 23, scored three goals and provided two assists, with no other player surpassing his five goal involvements.
Nuno Mendes (Paris St-Germain)
Given they won the Treble, Paris St-Germain players were always going to dominate this list.
Goals and assists often grab the headlines but 23-year-old Nuno Mendes has cemented himself as one of the best left-backs in the world right now after some superb displays at full-back for PSG.
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris St-Germain/Man City)
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who joined Manchester City from PSG in the summer, was named Fifa’s best men’s goalkeeper for 2025 earlier this month.
The Italy international was recognised for an exceptional year in which he won the Champions League for the first time and three domestic trophies with PSG.
The 26-year-old has since established himself as a key member of Pep Guardiola’s City, who currently sit second in the Premier League and fourth in the Champions League.
Pedri (Barcelona)
Pedri, 23, who arguably enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career in 2024-25 as he helped Barcelona win the domestic treble, is now regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world.
He had the most recoveries (254) among players in the top five European leagues last term and also showed he is one of the best chance creators in Europe as he created 70 chances for his Barcelona team-mates last season.
With injury issues seemingly behind him, he is continuing to play an important part for Barcelona this season and has helped them to sit top of La Liga, ahead of rivals Real Madrid.
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
It has been a prolific 2025 for Kylian Mbappe, who has scored 59 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid this year.
This means the 27-year-old striker has equalled the record number of goals scored in a calendar year which was set by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013.
Vitinha (Paris St-Germain)
Given the unglamorous nature of the role, a defensive midfielder has to be very, very good to be considered the best player in the world, but Vitinha, 25, has certainly been very, very good in 2025.
Compared to the legendary Andres Iniesta, Vitinha possesses brilliant technique and positioning which help him to dominate games from the middle of the park for Paris St-Germain.
Source: BBC
