A statistical analysis of Pedri’s performance during the 24/25 season.
When the Ballon d’Or 2025 rankings were revealed, one name immediately caused outrage: Pedri at 11th place. 11th Yes, you heard that right 11th. For the midfielder who has been Barcelona’s heart and Spain’s engine, this feels like nothing less than daylight robbery. He won 13 of 22 La Liga Player of the Match trophies in a team of Lamine Yamal (2nd) and Raphinha (5th) as of 23rd September 2025.
🇪🇸🧐 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓 | 𝐏𝐄𝐃𝐑𝐈 (𝟐𝟐) has won 𝟏𝟑 𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐌 AWARDS in the last 22 La Liga Matches pic.twitter.com/ompSsbYMX8
— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) September 22, 2025
🇪🇸🤯 | 𝐏𝐄𝐃𝐑𝐈 (𝟐𝟐) vs ALL Big-5 League Midfielders this season — @DataMB_
🥇 Progressive Passes Completed — 1ST
🥇 Passes To Final Third — 1ST
🥇 Accurate Passes To Final Third — 1ST
🥇 Passes to Penalty Box — 1ST
🥇 Aerial Duels Won % — 1ST
🥇 Shots On Target — 1ST
🥇… pic.twitter.com/v5NElHYtk6— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) September 15, 2025
Pedri is already world-class and no longer just a promising young player. Week after week, he dictated Barcelona’s rhythm, turned tight matches into moments of brilliance, and reminded fans of legends like Xavi and Iniesta. And yet, when it came to football’s most prestigious individual award, the voters put him outside the top ten, behind players who don’t come close to his influence on the pitch.
The Ballon d’Or is supposed to reward greatness, consistency, and impact. So why does it feel like it only rewards goals and flashy highlight reels? Pedri’s 11th-place finish isn’t just undeserved, it’s proof that midfielders are still criminally undervalued in modern football.
In this article, we will look at Pedri’s 2024–25 campaign in detail, explain why he should have been ranked higher, and provide a statistical comparison of him to the world’s top midfield players. It will become clear at the end that Pedri not only deserved better, but he also deserved to be considered for the top five.
A Season of Resilience and Reliability
Pedri’s career has been a battle against his own body, where injury often sidelined him for lengthy periods, giving him the moniker “glass”.
During the 2024-25 season, he played 59 matches across all competitions, the most of any Barcelona player, logging over 4,500 minutes without a major setback
Under Flick, Pedri played in the double pivot, putting in defensive work with creative flair. He averaged 2.7 key passes per game and had the most recoveries (257) in La Liga, created 11 line-breaking passes under pressure in the Champions League (more than anyone else), and was instrumental in Barcelona’s run.
Head-to-Head Comparison – Pedri vs The Best Midfielders
To further understand Pedri’s performance in the 24/25 season, let’s look at the player comparison data using stats used for midfielders.
Let’s start with Vitinha, who finished 3rd in Ballon d’Or rankings
Pedri Vs Vitinha
| Stat | Pedri (Per 90) | Pedri Percentile | Vitinha (Per 90) | Vitinha Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expected Assist Goals (xAG) | 0.22 | 96 | 0.12 | 71 |
| Expected Assists (xA) | 0.27 | 98 | 0.17 | 87 |
| NpxG + xAG | 0.27 | 86 | 0.19 | 63 |
| Progressive Carries | 3.08 | 97 | 2.19 | 86 |
| Progressive Passes | 11.01 | 99 | 8.54 | 95 |
| Key Passes | 2.06 | 95 | 1.41 | 81 |
| Passes into Final Third | 10.68 | 99 | 10.35 | 98 |
| Passes into Penalty Area | 2.50 | 98 | 1.56 | 94 |
| Shot Creating Actions | 5.41 | 99 | 3.49 | 88 |
| Live Ball Passes Leading to Shot | 4.67 | 99 | 2.89 | 92 |
| Goal Creating Actions | 0.58 | 96 | 0.38 | 83 |
| Passes That Lead to Goal | 0.49 | 97 | 0.28 | 82 |
| Blocks | 1.76 | 90 | 0.83 | 15 |
| Passes Blocked | 1.68 | 98 | 0.63 | 21 |
| Tackles + Interceptions | 2.95 | 41 | 2.41 | 21 |
Pedri Vs Valverde
| Stat | Pedri (Per 90) | Pedri Percentile | Valverde (Per 90) | Valverde Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expected Assist Goals (xAG) | 0.22 | 96 | 0.11 | 67 |
| Expected Assists (xA) | 0.27 | 98 | 0.09 | 56 |
| NpxG + xAG | 0.27 | 86 | 0.18 | 62 |
| Progressive Carries | 3.08 | 97 | 1.76 | 79 |
| Progressive Passes | 11.01 | 99 | 6.43 | 81 |
| Key Passes | 2.06 | 95 | 1.24 | 73 |
| Passes into Final Third | 10.68 | 99 | 6.79 | 90 |
| Passes into Penalty Area | 2.50 | 98 | 1.03 | 78 |
| Shot Creating Actions | 5.41 | 99 | 2.66 | 69 |
| Live Ball Passes Leading to Shot | 4.67 | 99 | 2.44 | 84 |
| Goal Creating Actions | 0.58 | 96 | 0.41 | 86 |
| Passes That Lead to Goal | 0.49 | 97 | 0.39 | 91 |
| Blocks | 1.76 | 90 | 1.11 | 48 |
| Passes Blocked | 1.68 | 98 | 0.79 | 45 |
| Tackles + Interceptions | 2.95 | 41 | 3.13 | 51 |
Pedri Vs Mac Allister
| Stat | Pedri (Per 90) | Pedri Percentile | Mac (Per 90) | Mac Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expected Assist Goals (xAG) | 0.22 | 96 | 0.18 | 91 |
| Expected Assists (xA) | 0.27 | 98 | 0.20 | 93 |
| NpxG + xAG | 0.27 | 86 | 0.31 | 90 |
| Progressive Carries | 3.08 | 97 | 1.31 | 58 |
| Progressive Passes | 11.01 | 99 | 5.78 | 74 |
| Key Passes | 2.06 | 95 | 1.63 | 87 |
| Passes into Final Third | 10.68 | 99 | 4.12 | 52 |
| Passes into Penalty Area | 2.50 | 98 | 1.25 | 87 |
| Shot Creating Actions | 5.41 | 99 | 4.09 | 94 |
| Live Ball Passes Leading to Shot | 4.67 | 99 | 2.67 | 87 |
| Goal Creating Actions | 0.58 | 96 | 0.53 | 94 |
| Passes That Lead to Goal | 0.49 | 97 | 0.39 | 91 |
| Blocks | 1.76 | 90 | 2.31 | 99 |
| Passes Blocked | 1.68 | 98 | 1.90 | 99 |
| Tackles + Interceptions | 2.95 | 41 | 3.98 | 83 |
🟩 Green (90-100) → High percentile (top performance compared to other midfielders).
🟨 Yellow (70-90)→ Average percentile (solid but not standout).
🟥 Red (60 and below)→ Low percentile (below most midfielders in that category).
The Silent Force Behind Barcelona’s Domestic Treble
While goalscorers and flashy forwards often grab the headlines, Pedri was one of the main forces behind Barcelona’s 2024–25 domestic treble.
A perfect example came in the Champions League second-leg match against Dortmund. Barcelona started the game without him, and it quite clearly showed that the team struggled to create chances, the midfield looked disjointed, and the team was in desperate need of a controller. Pedri came in the 2nd half, and everything changed. The team regained control, passed with purpose.
He may not have grabbed the headlines every match, but his presence was crystal clear for Barcelona’s success, proving that some of the most important players are the ones who do their magic quietly, letting the team shine
Ballon d’Or Bias – Midfielders Undervalued?
One of the biggest problems with the Ballon d’Or is its bias toward flashy attackers and goal scorers, while midfielders often get overlooked. History is full of examples: Xavi and Iniesta. Even Modrić, who finally broke through in 2018, and Rodri in 2024, were the exception rather than the rule.
Pedri fits this exact mould. He doesn’t score a hat-trick every game. You won’t see him doing those flashy dribbles, but he dictates the flow, breaks lines, and makes everyone around him better.
One big Example is how Frankie De Jong plays so much better with Pedri, how even Casado becomes a reliable option while playing alongside Pedri. His influence is something not always reflected in highlight reels or flashy statistics.
Voters often reward goals and assists over control, vision, and tactical intelligence, and that’s why a player like Pedri ends up 11th despite being one of the most indispensable players in Europe.
If the Ballon d’Or truly measured overall impact, creativity, and importance to a team’s success, Pedri wouldn’t just be in the top ten; he would be right up there with the best of the best.
Pedri’s last 35 starts for club and country: not a single performance rated below 7, and only 5 rated under 7.5. The definition of consistency pic.twitter.com/B3huuYrGlm
— Islam Bouafif 🇹🇳🇵🇸 (@BouafifNour) September 8, 2025
Pedri was one of the most consistent players in the world and if the Ballon d’Or truly measured overall impact, creativity, and importance to a team’s success, Pedri would be holding the Ballon d’Or in Paris.
CONCLUSION:
At the end of the day, football is more than hype, narratives, or temporary form; it’s about consistency, influence, and greatness.
Dembele is a deserving winner who led PSG through a historic year with 51 G+A in 60 games, winning six trophies, including the coveted UCL. However, many players produced a similar output without winning as many trophies. This begs the question – does the Ballon d’Or only reward trophies?
Pedri had one of the greatest seasons a midfielder has had in a long time. To see him placed 11th in the Ballon d’Or rankings feels like an insult to what he’s achieved and what he represents for the next generation.
The Ballon d’Or may not recognise him as a Top 10 player yet, but as fans who watch him week in and week out know.Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Does Pedri deserve to be higher? Or is the ranking justified?
Nice but this won’t give him a top 10 ranking in bd’or mate 😹😹
Pedri should’ve been atleast 7th and raphinha should’ve been top 3 , vitinha 3rd reminds of jorginho 2021 b’dor, even doue being 14th is stupid
W post and analysis for real. Pedri being 11th is just diabolical to be very honest. He is the current best midfielder in the world by a margin. But a Ballon d’or ranking does not matter anything to what he does on the pitch. Glad to be watching football with our eyes. Raphinha deserved it more than Yamal for sure, even if Dembele won it fairly enough but atleast 2nd should have been Raphinha. The recency bias is crazy and well Yamal just has the pr, as a Culer we just have to accept it. Vini being above Lewa, Fabian Ruiz at 24th, all these were absolute disgusting ranks. Except the 1st, all other rankings were an absolute low for the sport.
pedree
100% agree with the admin pedri deserved higher ranking and by stats it’s pretty clear who’s the best midfielder.. these ballon d’or ranking from few years are just rage bait they want us to keep talking about the bdr ranking even after the ceremony has finished.. so we should take this as a pinch of salt and We all know who’s the best