FRANCE and Paris Saint-Germain forward, Ousmane Dembélé, has been crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, sealing his place among the pantheon of football’s greats.
The announcement at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris was met with a mixture of celebration and awe.
For many, Dembélé’s triumph represents more than just a single award.
After a career at Barcelona plagued by injuries and inconsistency, his move to Paris unlocked a new level of performance, culminating in a season of unprecedented success.
Dembele, 28, pipped Barcelona and Spain teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to the prize and succeeds Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, who won the trophy in 2024.
Dembélé enjoyed the best season of his career in 2024–25. He began the campaign in his usual spot on the right side of PSG’s attack but was quickly turned into a striker by manager Luis Enrique, whose decision proved to be a masterstroke.
In Ligue 1, Dembélé plundered 21 goals and eight assists in 29 appearances, sharing the division’s top scorer award and earning a spot in the Team of the Year, but it was his performances in the Champions League which really boosted his push for the Ballon d’Or.
The France international played an integral role in PSG’s success, racking up eight goals and scoring against big opponents like Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.
When he wasn’t scoring goals in Europe, Dembélé was creating them. He ended the campaign with six assists, including for the decisive goal in the semifinal victory over Arsenal and two of the five goals netted in the final against Inter.
“Winning a Ballon d’Or when you’re a football player is obviously the Holy Grail individually,” Dembélé told France Football in June. “It’s something you dream about when you’re little.
“I remember back when it was on Téléfoot, when I saw the players appear to receive the Ballon d’Or, it was incredible. Just the object, the ball, it’s exceptional.”
Dembele also scored twice in seven caps for France in 2024-25.
He is the sixth Frenchman to win the award and only the second of the 21st century after Karim Benzema in 2022.
Lamine Yamal, 18, who finished second and also won the Kopa Trophy for the best young player.
PSG and Portugal midfielder Vitinha was third, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was fourth.
Chelsea and England’s Cole Palmer finished eighth.
Last year’s winner, Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, did not make the shortlist this time after an injury-hit campaign.
Gyokeres wins top scorer trophy
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres won the Gerd Muller Trophy, which is awarded to the top scoring player in 2024-25 in European football for club and country.
The 27-year-old scored 54 goals in 52 games for Portuguese club Sporting last season – and nine goals in six Nations League games for Sweden.
He joined Arsenal in a deal worth up to £64m in the summer.
The exact criteria for the award is not known, meaning the winner was uncertain before the ceremony even though it is factually based.
Last season’s was shared between Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe (although for his time at PSG) with 52 goals each.
The previous winners for the award which was launched in 2021 were Robert Lewandowski, twice, and Erling Haaland.
Lamine Yamal wins second Kopa Trophy
Lamine Yamal may have been disappointed not to win the Ballon d’Or, with rumours emerging hours before the event that he had won it.
But the Barcelona star did receive the Kopa Trophy, for the best player under the age of 21, for the second consecutive year.
The teenager is the first player to win it twice, although it was only created in 2018.
He helped Spain to win the domestic double last season of La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
The winger scored 18 goals – including netting in three different Clasicos – and made 21 assists in 55 games.
And he also helped Spain to the Nations League final, where they lost on penalties to Portugal, after scoring twice in a memorable 5-4 semi-final win over Dembele’s France.
Luis Enrique wins top manager award
The trophy for the best men’s coach in 2024-25, at club or international level, was Paris St-Germain’s Luis Enrique.
The 55-year-old Spaniard led PSG to their first Champions League trophy, to cap off a treble, despite losing star man Mbappe on a free transfer at the start of the season.
The ex-Barcelona man is only the second person, after Pep Guardiola, to win the treble with two different clubs.
The Socrates Award, which is a humanitarian one, went to the Xana Fundacion, which was set up by Luis Enrique’s family in memory of his daughter who died from bone cancer aged nine in 2019.
It is dedicated to providing comprehensive support to children and young people with life-threatening illnesses.
Donnarumma wins second Yashin trophy
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, now at Manchester City, won the award for the best goalkeeper in 2024-25 for his performances at Paris St-Germain.
The 26-year-old kept 17 clean sheets in 47 games for the treble winners – before joining City for £26m on deadline day.
Liverpool’s Alisson Becker finished second.
Donnarumma also won the award in 2021 after being named player of the tournament at Euro 2020.
Aston Villa and Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez had won the award for the past two years but finished eighth this time.
