The talented Mallorcan footballer Mariona Caldentey (Felanitx, 1996) achieved a historic milestone by finishing in second place in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual award in world football. This recognition highlights her outstanding season with Arsenal and confirms her status as one of the best players on the planet. Meanwhile, fellow Mallorcan Patri Guijarro (Palma, 1998) reached the sixth position, showcasing the island’s prominence at the ceremony.

Mariona Caldentey

Mariona Caldentey in a match with the Spanish national football team. Photo: RFEF.

Caldentey was only surpassed by Aitana Bonmatí, midfielder for FC Barcelona, who was crowned the Ballon d’Or winner for the third consecutive year at the ceremony held yesterday at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

Mariona Caldentey, leader of London’s Arsenal

During the 2024-25 season, Caldentey played 21 matches in the English league, scored 9 goals, and provided 5 assists, earning her the recognition as FA Women’s Super League Player of the Year. In the UEFA Women’s Champions League, the World Cup (2023) and Nations League (2024) champion finished as the second-highest scorer with 8 goals and helped Arsenal secure their first European title in nearly two decades. The Felanitx native was included in the competition’s Team of the Season, selected by UEFA’s Technical Observers group.

Meanwhile, Patri Guijarro, a FC Barcelona player, featured in a total of 25 matches in the Spanish league, scoring 7 goals and providing 8 assists, demonstrating her influence in midfield and her ability to create scoring opportunities. The midfielder also registered 5 assists in 11 matches in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, where she was included in the Team of the Season alongside Caldentey.

2025 Ballon d’Or – Men’s Category

In the men’s category, Ousmane Dembélé, striker for Paris Saint-Germain, was crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner. Dembélé finished ahead of Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona and his PSG teammate Vitinha, following a remarkable campaign in which he received the UEFA Champions League MVP award and contributed to PSG’s first title in the competition. He ended the 2024/25 season with 37 goals and 15 assists.