Gareth Bale will regret his pick for 2025 Ballon d'Or after seeing what happened in Club World Cup

Gareth Bale volition beryllium regretting his prime for the 2025 Ballon d'Or aft immoderate standout performances astatine this summer's FIFA Club World Cup.

The contention for the 2025 Ballon d'Or has been 1 of the astir unfastened successful caller history, with Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele, Mo Salah, and Raphinha each looking similar the favourite astatine antithetic stages.

The added contention of the Nations League and Club World Cup have made things peculiarly interesting, with players having much matches than ever to marque their case.

With Ballon d'Or speech dominating the headlines passim the season, galore existent and ex-pros person weighed successful with their chosen player.

Back successful November, Bale who is simply a Club World Cup pundit for DAZN predicted the 2025 Ballon d'Or victor during an interrogation with TNT Sports, and helium whitethorn beryllium keen to alteration his answer.

Gareth Bale connected Club World Cup work for DAZN (credit: getty)

Asked by Manchester United fable Rio Ferdinand for his winner, Bale didn't hesitate and replied: "[Kylian] Mbappe."

Mbappe presently sits arsenic a 33/1 outsider to cod this year's grant aft Real Madrid went trophyless domestically contempt 44 goals successful each competitions.

The Frenchman whitethorn person seen the Club World Cup arsenic an accidental to relaunch his bid for the grant but made conscionable 1 commencement aft falling sick during the tournament.

Madrid were dumped retired of the contention successful embarrassing manner by Champions League winners PSG who claimed their spot successful the last against Chelsea with a 4-0 win.

Kylian Mbappe vs PSG astatine the Club World Cup (credit: getty)

Dembele grabbed a extremity and assistance which has tightened his grip adjacent much connected the Ballon d'Or aft standout performances for the Parisians, with the winger a 1/8 favourite.

Full Ballon d'Or odds via Bet365

Ousmane Dembele- 1/8

Lamine Yamal- 11/2

Ferreira Vitinha- 8/1

Achraf Hakimi- 25/1

Fabian Ruiz- 25/1

Kylian Mbappe- 33/1

Despite looking acceptable to miss retired connected yet different Ballon d'Or, Mbappe has remained assured helium volition get his hands connected football's much prestigious idiosyncratic grant astatine immoderate point.

"Which apical trophy is near for me? The Champions League, that’s wherefore I’m astatine the champion club," helium told Canal+.

"And the Euros, and wherefore not marque it to the Olympics 1 day? Individual trophies number too, similar the Ballon d’Or.

"I cognize what I person to bash to triumph it, a batch of things connected and disconnected the field. When I bash everything I request to bash to triumph it, I volition triumph it."