Thierry Henry has picked his favourite to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or, and the Arsenal legend has surprisingly snubbed Mohamed Salah for the award.
Salah has managed 32 goals and 22 assists in just 42 games in all competitions this term, with his output putting Liverpool on course for a potential Premier League and League Cup double.
For Henry, though, who finished second in the 2003 Ballon d'Or and third in 2006, Liverpool's exit to PSG in the Champions League last 16 will have a detrimental impact on Salah's chances of picking up the Golden Ball for his exploits this term. Though the Frenchman refuses to rule out the Egyptian from winning the award, Henry now believes that a Barcelona star is leading the running.
Thierry Henry overlooks Mohamed Salah when picking Ballon d'Or favourite
"Raphinha is ahead for me now [in the race for the Ballon d'Or], he is ahead because of what he is doing in the Champions League," Henry said on CBS Sports. "He has 11 goals in the Champions League. Mo Salah is a great contender for it, Kane is a contender and [Ousmane] Dembele.
"It depends if you perform in the Champions League, on top of winning your league. Raphinha is on a lot of goals and with only one penalty."
Indeed, Raphinha has performed excellently for Barcelona this season, bagging an equaly impressive 27 goals and 19 assists in 41 games for the Blaugrana. They still have a chance of winning the treble, too, as they lead La Liga, are in the semis of the Copa del Rey and will face either Borussia Dortmund or Lille in the Champions League quarter-finals.
It's Raphinha's output that has most impressed Henry, with his lack of penalties putting him in pole position for the Ballon d'Or.
"I am not saying that Kane and Salah should not be having penalties, Mo Salah is having a season in the Premier League that we will never see again," Henry said.
"I am saying that if a guy has virtually the same amount of goals as you guys scored, without penalties, I am not going to say that is bad what you did - it is outstanding - but this guy I have to talk a bit more about him.
"Raphinha, when people talk about being complete as a striker you need to know about putting on pressure also and defend, and help your full back. And he has it all."
In FourFourTwo's view, there's certainly a good reason for Raphinha winning the Ballon d'Or, with his season at Barcelona overlooked in England due to Mohamed Salah's clear domination in the Premier League. Ultimately, the award relies on success in continental or international competition, which Raphinha still has a chance of securing while Salah doesn't.
