Ousmane Dembélé won the 2025 Ballon d’Or on Monday, edging Lamine Yamal and PSG teammate Vitinha. The 28-year-old’s award capped Paris Saint-Germain’s first UEFA Champions League title and his finest club season.
Ballon d’Or for Dembélé
Voters put Dembélé first after a year of decisive games for club and country. He was named best player of the Champions League.
He also drove a domestic “golden double” in France. In total, he finished with 37 goals and 15 assists across competitions.
As a result, he topped a field that included Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappé.
A season that delivered titles in European football
PSG’s European breakthrough set the tone for the vote. Dembélé scored and created in key knockout ties, then closed the campaign with silverware on two fronts.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s teenager Lamine Yamal took the Raymond Kopa Trophy for best young player, underscoring his sudden rise.
Three Muslim footballers in top ten category: Dembélé; Salah; Achraf Hakimi;
Gianluigi Donnarumma claimed the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper.
Luis Enrique won the Johan Cruyff Trophy for coach of the year for his work at PSG and Spain.
Viktor Gyökeres earned the Gerd Müller Trophy after scoring 63 goals for Sporting and Sweden before his move to Arsenal.
In women’s football, Aitana Bonmatí took the Ballon d’Or for a third straight year.
Special honors went to Arsenal Women as Club of the Year, England coach Sarina Wiegman, and Spain’s Fundación Xana, which received the Socrates Award.
The men’s top ten were: Dembélé; Yamal; Vitinha; Salah; Raphinha; Achraf Hakimi; Mbappé; Cole Palmer; Donnarumma; Nuno Mendes.
The ceremony, the 69th since 1956, took place at the Théâtre du Châtelet on 22 September.
Since its launch by France Football, the prize has remained the sport’s most coveted individual award.
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