Trump, Wilson, Higgins, O'Sullivan - World Snooker Championship contenders

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Ahead of the 2025 World Snooker Championship, which runs from April 19-May 5, we look at the main contenders for the title.

From a host of multiple world champions to the man looking to break the 'Crucible curse', and the world No 1 eying a long-awaited second victory, there are plenty of players capable of lifting the trophy on Monday May 5, including the returning Ronnie O'Sullivan.

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The defending champion - Kyren Wilson

Nickname: The Warrior
World Championship wins: One (2024)
Overall ranking titles: 10
Ranking titles this season: 4
First-round opponent at The Crucible: Lei Peifan

Kyren Wilson wins 2025 Players Championship Snooker (Getty Imsges)

No first-time winner has retained the World Snooker Championship since the tournament moved to Sheffield in 1977 with Kyren Wilson - who beat Jak Jones 18-14 in last year's final - the latest player to attempt to break the dreaded 'Crucible curse'.

Wilson will be confident after winning four ranking events so far this season - two more than any other player - with victories at the Xi'an Grand Prix, Northern Ireland Open, German Masters and Players Championship taking him to a career ranking haul of 10.

The Warrior has beaten world No 1 Judd Trump in three finals this term - including a 9-3 drubbing in Northern Ireland - so may have the psychological edge if they meet again in the Crucible showpiece.

The world No 1 - Judd Trump

Nickname: The Ace in the Pack
World Championship wins: One (2019)
Overall ranking titles: 30
Ranking titles this season: 2
First-round opponent at The Crucible: Zhou Yuelong

Judd Trump celebrates with the UK Snooker Championship trophy for the second time

For Trump to have only won the World Championship once - back in 2019 - feels like an underachievement for a player with 30 ranking titles overall, including two this campaign at the Saudi Arabia Masters and UK Championship.

The 35-year-old went off the boil a little bit after winning the UK title in December, suffering early exits at the German Masters and World Open, although then made it to the final of the Players Championship before he was edged out 10-9 by Wilson.

If the 'Ace in the Pack' can rediscover his best form in Sheffield, few will be able to live with him. And you sense he is due another final at least having only made it to the last two twice since 2011, most recently in 2022 when he was beaten by O'Sullivan.

The game's best match player - Mark Selby

Nickname: The Jester from Leicester
World Championship wins: Four (2014, 2016, 2017, 2021)
Overall ranking titles: 24
Ranking titles this season: 2
First-round opponent at The Crucible: Ben Woollaston

Selby is perhaps only rivalled by John Higgins (more on him in a bit) when it comes to finding ways to win and the four-time world champion has done just that this season, clinching ranking titles at the British Open and Welsh Open.

The Jester from Leicester - dumped out by Joe O'Connor in the first round last year - also reached the final of the Tour Championship, drubbing Neil Robertson 10-1 and Ding Junhui 10-2 before falling victim to a stirring comeback from Higgins and losing 10-8.

Seventeen days at The Crucible can be a grind but Selby thrives in that sort of environment, finishing runner-up on two occasions in addition to claiming the trophy four times.

The resurgent veteran - John Higgins

Nickname: The Wizard of Wishaw
World Championship wins: Four (1998, 2007, 2009, 2011)
Overall ranking titles: 33
Ranking titles this season: 2
First-round opponent at The Crucible: Joe O'Connor

This time last year Higgins' place in the world's top 16 was in jeopardy before a run to the Word Championship quarter-finals - during which he pipped Mark Allen 13-12 after a clutch double in the deciding frame began a stunning clearance - kept him in the elite.

The four-time world champion temporarily dipped out of that established group in September for the first time in 29 years but a stunning resurgence means the 50-year-old is now world No 3 after winning two ranking events since the turn of the year.

First, Higgins secured the World Open in March for his first ranking crown in four years and then fought back from 8-5 down, having led 5-1, to beat Selby 10-8 in the Tour Championship in April for what he described as "my best-ever win".

The greatest of all time - Ronnie O'Sullivan

Nickname: The Rocket
World Championship wins: Seven (2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020, 2022)
Overall ranking titles: 41
Ranking titles this season: 0
First-round opponent at The Crucible: Ali Carter

A sport's GOAT is always a subjective thing but you would probably find few going against O'Sullivan as snooker's best player ever.

No one has won more ranking titles than The Rocket's 41 and only Stephen Hendry has matched his tally of seven Crucible crowns.

For over 30 years, O'Sullivan has been snooker's most captivating player, on and off the table.

Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan was knocked out of the UK Snooker Championship with a first-round defeat to Barry Hawkins (Getty Images)

It has mainly been off the table for O'Sullivan this season with the 49-year-old not playing on the World Snooker Tour since January, pulling out of events on medical grounds and struggling with a lack of confidence, so he will head to Sheffield with a distinct lack of match action.

But we should not entirely rule out a record-setting eighth World Championship title.

Social media footage recently emerged of O'Sullivan constructing a 147 break in under seven minutes with a new cue - he snapped his old one at the Championship League earlier this year - plus he won at The Crucible in 2013 despite having played just one competitive match that season heading into the event.

Every time you think the Rocket is winding down his career, he tends to come back and achieve something special.

The Masters champion - Shaun Murphy

Nickname: The Magician
World Championship wins: One (2005)
Overall ranking titles: 12
Ranking titles this season: 0
First-round opponent at The Crucible: Daniel Wells

Murphy beat reigning world champion Wilson at the prestigious Masters event in January, triumphing 10-7 at Alexandra Palace to win that tournament for the second time and first in a decade.

The Magician's success earned him a fourth Triple Crown title with the 42-year-old also winning the World Championship in 2005 as a qualifier and then the UK Championship in 2009.

Murphy has only reached two ranking semi-finals this season and has been thrashed in his last two matches, losing 6-0 to Trump in the Players Championship and then demolished 10-1 by an inspired Barry Hawkins at the Tour Championship.

However, he often saves his best for the World Championship, with three runners-up finishes since winning at the Crucible 20 years ago, so don't completely write him off.