Sports publication France Football released on Thursday the names of the 30 candidates to win the men’s Ballon d’Or award, with Alexis Mac Allister and Lautaro Martínez the two Argentines shortlisted. 

The 2024-25 season wasn’t the best for Argentine footballing stars, which explains the small Albiceleste representation. With Lionel Messi mired in an injury-ridden and unsuccessful season at Inter Miami in the U.S. and other stars such as Ángel Di María, Paulo Dybala and Rodrigo de Paul fading away from the limelight, it fell to the newer generation to represent Argentina in the award.

Mac Allister ends a tremendous season for English football giants Liverpool. The former Boca Juniors midfielder took home his first Premier League title, instrumental in the Reds’ dominant season.

It was a similar story for Martínez and Inter Milan. The former Racing Club striker was key in the Nerazzurri reaching the UEFA Champions League final for the second time in three years, but they fell 5-0 against Paris Saint Germain. They also lost out the domestic league title, losing out to Napoli on just one point.

Other Argentine stars failed to make the cut, such as Julián Álvarez, who enjoyed a phenomenal start to life at Atlético Madrid scoring 29 goals in 59 games in his debut season but failing to pick up any silverware. His former River Plate teammate Enzo Fernández, who helped Chelsea to the 2025 Club World Cup title, had an up-and-down season in the Premier League.

Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez couldn’t repeat his 2024 candidacy, when he became one of only five goalkeepers to make the shortlist, but was nominated for what could be his third Yashin Trophy, awarded to the season’s best goalkeeper. He’s already the record holder for most wins, with two.

The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in Paris on September 22. France Football magazine will present 13 awards, Women’s Ballon d’Or, the Kopa Trophy to the best U-21 player and the Sócrates Award, which acknowledges footballers for their humanitarian work. In Argentina, the ceremony will be available through the  Disney+ streaming service.