Ousmane Dembele is The Winner of 2025 Ballon d’Or

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele could not hold back his tears after being named the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, edging out Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.

The French forward entered the ceremony as the clear favorite after a remarkable season in which he netted 37 goals and delivered 16 assists, guiding PSG to four major trophies, including Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Unlike the controversy that surrounded the 2024 award, this year’s decision was widely accepted.

Dembele took the top honor ahead of Yamal, while his PSG teammate Vitinha secured third place just above Liverpool star Mohamed Salah. The recognition marked the first major individual accolade of Dembele’s career, and emotions poured out as he stepped on stage to collect the golden trophy.

An Emotional Acceptance

“What I have just experienced is extraordinary, I can hardly describe it,” Dembele said in his acceptance speech, joined on stage by his mother. “Winning this trophy, especially being presented with it by Ronaldinho, a legend of football, is unbelievable.

“I want to thank PSG for believing in me when they brought me in 2023. The president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, is like a father to me, as is the coach. The staff and my teammates have been outstanding. We’ve achieved almost everything together, and this award is as much theirs as it is mine.”

His comments reflected both relief and gratitude after years of battling injuries and criticism earlier in his career.

Other Major Winners

The evening also celebrated other stars of the game. Aitana Bonmatí of Spain and Barcelona secured the Ballon d’Or Féminin for the third consecutive year, finishing ahead of teammate Mariona Caldentey.

Despite narrowly missing out on the main prize, Lamine Yamal was recognized with the Young Player of the Year Award for his breakout season. PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma earned the Yashin Trophy following his standout performances last season.

In the coaching categories, Luis Enrique of PSG was named Best Male Coach, while England’s Sarina Wiegman took home the Best Female Coach award. PSG was honored as the Best Men’s Club, while Arsenal received the prize for Best Women’s Club.

The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony will be remembered not only for Dembele’s triumph but also for the emotional scenes that marked a new chapter in his career.