Poland and Barcelona forward Ewa Pajor emerged as a leading contender for the Ballon d'Or as the ceremony took place in London.
The prestigious ceremony, celebrating 70 years of football's premier individual accolade, was held outside France for the first time in its history. Organised by France Football, the annual gala moved across the Channel to the English capital for the milestone edition.
Pajor watched the proceedings unfold from the front row alongside several of the men's game's highest-profile figures. The Polish forward sat next to France and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe as well as Bayern Munich attacker Michael Olise, while Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele was also seated nearby.
Contenders for the women's award
Pajor finished eighth in the voting last year but entered this edition among the primary favourites to lift the trophy. She faces stiff competition from her Barcelona teammates Alexia Putellas and Claudia Pina, alongside Lyon attacker Melchie Dumornay and Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw.
The forward entered the night on the back of winning the Gerd Muller Trophy last year, an honour presented to the most prolific striker in the world. Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati holds the record for the most women's Ballon d'Or victories after triumphing in 2023, 2024 and 2025, but an injury prevented her from chasing a fourth straight title.
Historic milestone for Polish football
A win would secure Pajor the best result by any Polish footballer in the history of the award. The current national record belongs to Barcelona men's striker Robert Lewandowski, who finished second behind Lionel Messi in 2021, an outcome widely questioned by supporters and analysts who argued the Polish international should have won.
Messi remains the most decorated player in the history of the men's Ballon d'Or with eight individual trophies. Pajor now waits to see whether she will make history of her own by bringing the golden trophy back to Poland.
