Former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star, Neymar, has voiced his frustration over the 2025 Ballon d’Or results, after his fellow Brazilian Raphinha finished fifth in the men’s category.
The awards ceremony, held in Paris on Monday, saw PSG and France forward Ousmane Dembele take home the prestigious prize.
Taking to social media after the event, Neymar described Raphinha’s fifth-place finish as “too much of a joke.”
Raphinha, 28, was placed behind Ousmane Dembele (PSG, 1st), Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal (2nd), PSG midfielder Vitinha (3rd), and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (4th).
The Barcelona forward had a stellar 2024-25 season, netting 38 goals and providing 23 assists in 66 appearances across all competitions.
His contributions played a key role in Barcelona securing La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup titles.
Neymar’s reaction adds fuel to ongoing debates about the fairness of Ballon d’Or voting, especially when it comes to Brazilian players.
The Brazilian superstar himself finished ninth in 2020, while Vinicius Jr. claimed second place in 2024 behind Manchester City midfielder Rodri, despite a remarkable campaign with Real Madrid. This has furthered discussions over possible biases.
Many Brazilian fans rallied behind Neymar’s critique online. “France Football’s bias against Brazilian players is real,” one supporter commented.
This isn’t the first time Neymar has questioned the Ballon d’Or outcomes. Last year, he mocked 2024 winner Rodri after the Spaniard commented on Vinicius’ absence from the ceremony, writing on social media, “Now he’s a talker.”
