McDonald Mariga reveals his pick to win 2025 Ballon d’Or
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 22.09.25. | 20:31
In the managers category, the former Harambee Stars vice captain did not have a preference, noting that many were competitive
FKF vice president McDonald Mariga has thrown his weight behind Spanish wonderkid Lamine Yamal to clinch the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
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The accolade, which has been presented annually by France Football since 1956, will see the 2025 edition held on Tuesday, 22 September from 1000 hrs.
The event, which will take place at the Theatre du Chatelet, will see, among others, national team captains, 100 journalists from the top 100 countries in the latest FIFA World Ranking and national team coaches cast their vote.
In the 2025 edition, Barcelona attacker Yamal and France international Ousmane Dembele are the front-runners in the men’s category and will be expected to battle for the prestigious award.
Speaking to the media at Kasarani Annex ahead of the award ceremony, Mariga has made up his mind on his pick to win the coveted award.
“It is a tough one. There is Yamal and Dembele, who are the favourites for it. They are both young, but I think Yamal will carry the day.
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He has had a more impactful year, especially at the club level, and that puts him ahead,” said Mariga.
In the managers category, the former Harambee Stars vice captain did not have a preference, noting that many were competitive.
However, the 2010 UEFA Champions League winner with Inter Milan was impressed by the increase in the number of African players in the final list over the years.
“We have had so many African players being considered recently, which we did not have sometimes back when we had maybe Eto’o (Samwel) and Okocha (Jay Jay).
Right now, quite a number have been listed and some are making it to the final list, which signifies the growth in African football,” stated Mariga.
Egypt's Mohamed Salah, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy are the Africans who made it to the final list of nominees.
With the growing list of Africans, Mariga predicts a Kenyan will be on the list soon.
“With the structures that we are putting in place, maybe one Kenyan will be selected in the near future.”
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