Ballon d’Or leak is going viral on the internet — and fans are dragging the hosts, calling the rankings “unfair.”

PARIS, France — With the Théâtre du Châtelet aglow for tonight’s 8 PM CET Ballon d’Or gala – hosted by Didier Drogba and France Football – a purported “leak” of the 2025 men’s top-30 rankings has gone nuclear on social media, amassing 3.5 million views and sparking a fan revolt against the organizers for “unfair” placements that allegedly favor PSG’s Champions League treble over breakout stars. The viral list, first dropped by the troll account @BallonLeakFR and reposted by parody pages mimicking Fabrizio Romano, ranks Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal at a controversial No. 5 despite his 18 goals and 25 assists at age 18, slaps Chelsea’s Cole Palmer at 12th after his Club World Cup MVP heroics, and elevates PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé to No. 3 with 33 goals and 15 assists. Fans are dragging France Football as “PSG puppets” and “trophy-obsessed,” with #BallonDRigged exploding (3.2 million posts). As the ceremony nears, organizers call it “fabricated trash,” but the buzz – fueled by X rants and Reddit threads – threatens to overshadow the reveal.

The leak claims to stem from votes by 100 international journalists, prioritizing club success (PSG’s UCL/Ligue 1/Coupe de France sweep) alongside stats and “fair play.” Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham leads at No. 1 (20 goals, 15 assists in La Liga/Nations League double), with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah at No. 2 (28 goals, 18 assists in Prem title). Dembélé’s third spot – ahead of Yamal – irks for “overrewarding a streaky UCL run,” while Palmer’s 12th (25 Prem goals last term, 11 involvements this) draws “robbery” cries given Chelsea’s Conference/Club World Cup doubles. Yamal’s fifth, post-Nations League hat-trick, feels like a “teen snub,” with Barca fans noting his Kopa Trophy lock as cold comfort. Other eyebrow-raisers: Napoli’s Scott McTominay at 18 (Serie A heroics), Arsenal’s Declan Rice at 10, and Bayern’s Harry Kane at 8 despite 44 goals.

Here’s the full alleged top 30 from the leak, as shared across X and Reddit (take with a grain of salt – France Football vows “legal action” against leakers):

1. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) – Midfield maestro; La Liga/Nations League double; 20G/15A.
2. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – Prem Golden Boot; title winner; 28G/18A.
3. Ousmane Dembélé (PSG) – UCL semis brace; treble hero; 33G/15A.
4. Raphinha (Barcelona) – La Liga/Copa double; 22G/20A.
5. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) – Record teen assists; Nations League final star; 18G/25A.
6. Vinícius Jr. (Real Madrid) – UCL final MOTM; 25G/12A.
7. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) – La Liga top scorer; 32G/10A.
8. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) – Bundesliga Golden Boot; 44G.
9. Pedri (Barcelona) – Midfield engine; Copa del Rey MVP.
10. Declan Rice (Arsenal) – Defensive rock; Prem title push.
11. Achraf Hakimi (PSG) – Flying full-back; UCL assists king; 12A.
12. Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – Club World Cup MVP; 25 Prem G last season; 11 involvements this.
13. Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan) – Serie A top scorer; 29G.
14. Vitinha (PSG) – Treble linchpin; 10G/14A.
15. Erling Haaland (Man City) – 38G but mid-table finish.
16. Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool) – Prem title creator; 8G/12A.
17. Nuno Mendes (PSG) – UCL defensive standout.
18. Scott McTominay (Napoli) – Serie A title surge; 15G.
19. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – Prem best defender.
20. Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen) – Bundesliga playmaker; 12G/18A.
21. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) – La Liga veteran; 28G.
22. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli) – Serie A flair; 14G/10A.
23. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich) – Wing wizard; 16G/11A.
24. João Neves (PSG) – Young gun; UCL breakout.
25. Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund) – Bundesliga poacher; 22G.
26. Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG) – Treble shot-stopper.
27. Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan) – Serie A wing-back beast.
28. Fabian Ruiz (PSG) – Midfield metronome.
29. Désiré Doué (PSG) – UCL surprise package.
30. Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP) – Primeira Liga top scorer; 29G.

X is a warzone. @BarcaUniversal’s “Yamal 5th? After 25 assists at 17? France Football hates La Liga!” (200,000 likes) and @CFCInsider’s “Palmer 12th? Carried Chelsea to glory – Dembélé 3rd? Boycott!” (160,000 views) lead the charge. @Adebayor_CFC warned pre-gala: “If no leak by 2 PM, it’s fair – Dembélé vs Raphinha,” hitting 229 views. Reddit’s r/soccer thread (18,000 upvotes) rages: “Leak exposes bias – 9 PSG in top 30? French voters (40%) rigging it!” PSG fans retort: “Treble > stats – Yamal/Palmer trophy-less.”

France Football’s 10 AM statement: “This is fake – democratic votes stay secret till tonight.” But odds (Betfair) back Dembélé (1/3), Yamal Kopa (1/10). Pundits: Gary Neville (Sky): “Yamal robbed – generational!” Jamie Carragher (CBS): “Palmer snub stings – Club World Cup MVP?” As stars arrive – Bellingham, Yamal, Dembélé – the leak’s chaos could eclipse crowns. Will it match reality, or prove a troll triumph? In Paris’ glare, football’s fairest prize feels foul.