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Feature
- 13 hours ago
Pedri for Ballon d'Or: Making the case for the Barcelona genius
Tom Weber
- Updated: 29 Apr 2025 18:44 BST
- 5 min read
Analysis
Pedri has admitted that he dreams of winning the Ballon d'Or one day - and this day could and should come sooner rather than later.
The Barcelona midfielder is enjoying the best season of his still-young but already-eventful career. In previous seasons, Pedri was constantly plagued by recurring injuries after being overplayed in his youth.
READ MORE: Who will win Ballon d’Or 2025? Shortlist, favourites, latest odds, date and past winners
STATS
Pedri
M, DM, AM (C)
Barcelona
Pedri
M, DM, AM (C)
Barcelona
He returned to full fitness in time for Euro 2024 and played a scintillating tournament before suffering a setback that ruled him out of the decisive clashes with France and England, which ultimately saw Spain crowned champions of Europe.
Although heartbreaking for him at the time, his injury was probably quite convenient in the sense that it gave him a little more time to rest and take care of his body before the start of the new season.
That is certainly the impression one gets considering that he has stayed completely injury-free over the course of the campaign so far, only missing one game due to illness.
READ MORE: The top five Ballon d'Or contenders for 2025
Current ETV
Pedri
M, DM, AM (C)
Barcelona
Pedri
M, DM, AM (C)
Barcelona
ETV Range
€129.5M - €158.3M
Pedri a real Ballon d'Or contender
What a delight it has been to watch a fully fit and firing Pedri. The youngster has undoubtedly been one of the best midfielders in world football this season, completely running the show for a Barcelona side that could claim a stunning quadruple this term.
The Supercopa and Copa del Rey have already been claimed by the Blaugrana. On Sunday, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid in the final of the latter, and Pedri was at his best, brilliantly scoring the opener by finishing off a move he himself had started with a long ball to Lamine Yamal.
Pedri has an ability to dictate the pace of a game like few others currently plying their trade in European football. His vision, coupled with the fact that he effortlessly executes even the most difficult passes, makes him a game-changer for Barcelona and Spain.
But the Tenerife-born playmaker isn't just eye candy. On the contrary, Pedri gets stuck in and puts in the hard yards, giving his side the ideal balance of attacking creativity and defensive tenacity.
According to data analytics firm SciSports, Pedri has comfortably been the best central midfielder in LaLiga this season. Similarly, data from Fbref shows that he is in the 98th percentile for shot-creating actions and 99th percentile for progressive passes among midfielders in Europe's top-five leagues, while also ranking exceptionally well for progressive carries and successful take-ons.
On Monday, the Spaniard admitted that he dreams of winning the Ballon d'Or, saying: “Since Rodri won the Ballon d’Or, it has become clear that a player who controls the midfield and dictates the rhythm of play can win this award. It has always been my dream to lift the Ballon d’Or."
He added that his full focus is on team success at present, but there was no need for this clarification because Pedri absolutely needs to be in the conversation for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, especially in light of Rodri's victory last year.
Should Barcelona manage to win LaLiga and the Champions League, the battle for football's most prestigious individual award will likely be an all-Blaugrana affair involving Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
All three would be deserving winners. Yamal is doing unbelievable things for a 17-year-old, while Raphinha's numbers this term are nothing short of sensational, having scored 30 goals and provided 23 assists at the time of writing.
However, Pedri is the heartbeat of that Barcelona side. Without him, Raphinha and Yamal would not have been able to hit the heights they have managed to hit this season. He is the foundation upon which Barcelona's success has been built.
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