Exclusive: Kaka names shock player in Ballon d'Or conversation alongside Lamine Yamal, Mo Salah and Raphinha

Former AC Milan, Real Madrid and Brazil star Kaka has named one player he feels should be in the 2025 Ballon d’Or conversation alongside Mohamed Salah, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, during an exclusive interview with SPORTbible.

Kaka, 43, is still the last Brazilian to have won the Ballon d’Or, when he pipped Cristiano Ronaldo - then of Manchester United - to the coveted award in 2007.

That year, the attacking midfielder helped his AC Milan side win their seventh Champions League crown with an intricate assist for Filippo Inzaghi’s second goal in a 2-1 win against Liverpool in Athens, Greece.

The following year, the Ronaldo-Lionel Messi era of dominance began.

Almost two decades on, a new crop of talent are vying to pick up the award during the ceremony on 22 September at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.

Kaka won the Ballon d'Or in 2007 (Credit:Getty)

Speaking in an exclusive interview with SPORTbible, Kaka named a shock player who deserves “recognition” alongside favourites such as Salah, 32, and Yamal, 17.

When asked who he thinks deserves to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or, Kaka replied: “It’s hard to say deserve right now, because it’s important to wait until the end of the season with the Champions League final and the final of the leagues.

“For the race, I would say Mohamed Salah. Virgil Van Dijk, I think, is back [to his best] and should get recognition as well.

“I would say Kylian Mbappe if he can get the Bota de Oro (European Golden Shoe).

"And I would say Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, [because] Barcelona won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and [reached] the semi-finals of the Champions League.

“[Depending] on the Champions League final, Dembele has had a really good season as well, and if he can be the protagonist in the final, he will be one of the favourites as well.”

Kaka with the children who attended FC Futures' event (Credit:EA)

The aforementioned attacking players have been widely spoken about, but Kaka’s mention of Van Dijk, 33, may surprise a few.

However, Kaka certainly has a case as Van Dijk has captained Liverpool to a 20^th Premier League title at a canter this season, having played in 36 of the 37 league games.

The centre-back previously finished runner-up, behind Messi, in the race for the 2019 edition of the award.

Van Dijk explained how he was still proud and that “losing to Lionel Messi was not the worst of things”, during an interview with France Football in 2024.

“A second place is already very special," said Van Dijk. "Very few players have been close to winning it or have scored as many points (679) in the Ballon d’Or standings."

Kaka thinks Virgil van Dijk deserves recognition (Credit:Getty)

Kaka spoke to SPORTbible in association with FC Futures, EA SPORTS FC and LA Liga’s global grassroots program aimed at democratizing access to football by renovating local pitches, equipping communities with innovative training tools inspired by the EA SPORTS FC video game, and fostering youth engagement through football-based development programs.

He attended the opening of a newly revitalised community football pitch in the heart of Paraisópolis, São Paulo, which gave local children an unforgettable experience.