Ballon d’Or Snub: Guirassy Ranked 21st Despite Champions League Heroics

Guinean striker Serhou Guirassy has been overlooked on football’s grandest stage, finishing just 21st in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings despite a season filled with extraordinary numbers.

The forward was joint top scorer in last season’s Champions League with 13 goals, matching Barcelona’s Raphinha.

He ended the campaign with 47 direct goal contributions in 50 matches across all competitions.

Such form, by historical standards, should have guaranteed him a place far higher in the global rankings.

Statistics reveal that over the past decade, no Champions League top scorer has fallen outside the top 11 of the Ballon d’Or voting.

On the contrary, five players have lifted the prestigious award off the back of such a campaign. Cristiano Ronaldo in (2016, 2017), Lionel Messi (2019), and Karim Benzema (2022).

Erling Haaland, with a far less prolific European campaign in 2021, finished no lower than 11th.

Guirassy’s low placement has therefore raised serious questions, particularly as it follows a similar snub last year.

In 2024, the Guinean scored 30 goals and added three assists in just 30 appearances. Yet was not among the 30 finalists.

For many observers, this represents a double injustice, reinforcing the sense that Guirassy remains undervalued on the world stage.

Adding to the frustration, hopes that he might at least be rewarded at the African level appear slim.

Morocco star Achraf Hakimi is considered the frontrunner for the 2025 CAF player of the year award after an outstanding season with PSG.

For Guirassy, the numbers speak for themselves but once again recognition seems far harder to come by.