Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has reportedly been nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or – which has also led to the bookies surprisingly slashing his odds on winning.
The Scotland international enjoyed a stellar season in 2024/25, as he helped Napoli to the Serie A title.
And following his surprising nomination, the bookmakers have cut odds of McTominay winning the Ballon d’Or – from 500/1 to 50/1, suggesting they think the midfielder has an outside chance of winning.
Under the tutelage of Antonio Conte, Napoli secured the coveted Serie A title in the 2024/25 season.
They beat Cagliari 2-0 on the final Matchday of the season to finish on 82 points, one ahead of runners-up Inter Milan.
All with McTominay pulling the strings that has now seen him nominated for the Ballon d’Or.
Reports suggest that Scott McTominay has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or 👀🏆 pic.twitter.com/hQJm3i30VO
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 6, 2025
The nail-biting victory saw Napoli win their second Scudetti in three years.
Romelu Lukaku scored 14 goals for Napoli in the 2024/25 Serie A season, finishing as their top scorer.
Throughout the campaign, they only scored 59 goals, suggesting their title charge was more about discipline than flamboyance.
Bookies Slash Scott McTominay Ballon d’Or Odds After Shock Nomination
Scott McTominay, who joined Napoli from Manchester United last summer, was one of the players responsible for maintaining discipline. But that did not stop him from charging up the field and tormenting defenders in the final third.
McTominay played 34 matches for Napoli in Serie A last season, scoring 12 goals and claiming four assists.
He also made 43 tackles, 22 blocks, intercepted the ball 24 times, and completed 51 clearances. While he didn’t commit a single defensive error throughout the season.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Scott McTominay has been nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, I understand.
28 years old. 48 games. 16 goals.
Serie A champion with Napoli.⁰
His first ever nomination. From squad player to world elite.Congrats, Scott! pic.twitter.com/CHHxaDRAo2
— Sam C (@SamC_reports) August 6, 2025
Scott McTominay Ballon d’Or Odds Into 50/1
On the back of his stellar showings for Napoli last season, McTominay has reportedly earned a nomination for the 2025 Ballon d’Or award.
Following his selection, the football betting sites have reduced McTominay’s odds of winning the Ballon d’Or to 50/1.
Before the reveal, McTominay was hovering around 500/1, making a win highly unlikely.
Even the updated 50/1 odds still make him an outsider – but his chances of landing the prestigious award are better than a few days ago.
Ousmane Dembele The Favourite to Win the 2025 Ballon d’Or
Scott McTominay’s Ballon d’Or shortlist has come as a pleasant surprise for fans. However, he is nowhere close to being a favourite for it.
The favourite tag currently rests with Ousmane Dembele, who helped Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to the Treble last season. The Frenchman was in a league of his own in 2024/25, scoring 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 games, emerging as the standout player in Europe.
After PSG claimed their maiden UEFA Champions League, coach Luis Enrique and Marquinhos backed Dembele to win the Ballon d’Or.
And as things stand, the bookmakers are in complete agreement. Dembele is 1/3 to win the Ballon d’Or, with Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal a distant second on 4/1.
Lamine Yamal makes TikTok reels. Raphinha makes safe passes. Dembélé makes defenders question their life choices.
2025 Ballon d’Or = Dembouz. No debate. ❌🙅♂️ pic.twitter.com/SeyzYyubL0
— BellingHIM (@footyoutlaw) August 5, 2025
Premier League’s sole representative in the top five, Mohamed Salah, is 16/1 to win the award.
Here are Ballon d’Or favourites, sorted by odds.
| Player | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain | 1/3 |
| Lamine Yamal | FC Barcelona | 4/1 |
| Vitinha | Paris Saint-Germain | 12/1 |
| Mohamed Salah | Liverpool FC | 16/1 |
| Raphinha | FC Barcelona | 16/1 |
| Cole Palmer | Chelsea FC | 20/1 |
| Achraf Hakimi | Paris Saint-Germain | 25/1 |
| Fabián Ruiz | Paris Saint-Germain | 25/1 |
| Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid CF | 33/1 |
| Nuno Mendes | Paris Saint-Germain | 33/1 |
| Gianluigi Donnarumma | Paris Saint-Germain | 40/1 |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Paris Saint-Germain | 40/1 |
| Désiré Doué | Paris Saint-Germain | 50/1 |
| Scott McTominay | SSC Napoli | 50/1 |
| Pedri | FC Barcelona | 66/1 |
Has a Scottish Player Ever Won the Ballon d’Or?
As the odds suggest, Scott McTominay has an outside chance of winning the Ballon d’Or. If he does claim the unlikely win, he will become only the second Scottish player in history to win the Ballon d’Or.
Manchester United legend Denis Law, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1964, is the only Scottish player to take home the coveted accolade.
Michael Owen is the Last British Ballon d’Or Winner
British players have had very little success in the Ballon d’Or race in recent years. As a matter of fact, Michael Owen (2001) is the only British player to win the award since the turn of the century.
Before Owen, five British players had won the Ballon d’Or. Kevin Keegan remains the only British player to win two Ballon d’Or awards (1978 and 1979).
Here is the list of British Ballon d’Or winners over the decades:
| Year | Winner | Nation (UK) | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Stanley Matthews | England | Blackpool |
| 1964 | Denis Law | Scotland | Manchester United |
| 1966 | Bobby Charlton | England | Manchester United |
| 1968 | George Best | Northern Ireland | Manchester United |
| 1978 & 1979 | Kevin Keegan | England | Hamburger SV |
| 2001 | Michael Owen | England | Liverpool |
When is the Ballon d’Or Award Ceremony in 2025?
The 2025 Ballon d’Or award ceremony will take place at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. The ceremony will take place on September 22, 2025.
Nominees for the prestigious award will go live in August 2025. Like every year, we expect to see some shocking omissions and surprising inclusions.
Last year, Man City star Rodri won the award ahead of Real Madrid ace Vinicius Jr. It will be interesting to see if Ousmane Dembele can avoid a similar heartbreak this year.
