Ballon d’Or 2025: French Forward Joins Elite List of Winners

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has claimed his maiden Ballon d’Or, capping a remarkable season in which the French champions swept the league title, Champions League, and French Cup.

The 28-year-old struck 35 goals and provided 14 assists in 53 appearances across competitions. He shared the Ligue 1 Golden Boot with 21 goals and was named both Ligue 1 Player of the Year and Champions League Player of the Year. Dembélé also featured in the Club World Cup final, where PSG fell to Chelsea in New Jersey.

Beating Barcelona’s teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal to the award, Dembélé was visibly emotional as he received the trophy in Paris, especially with Brazilian legend Ronaldinho presenting it to him. Despite PSG having a league fixture on the same evening, Dembélé—currently out injured—was able to attend.

“What I have experienced with PSG is extraordinary. I have no words. To win this trophy, presented by a legend, is something special,” Dembélé said, thanking the club, president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, manager Luis Enrique, and his teammates for their support.

His resurgence follows years of inconsistency since leaving Borussia Dortmund for Barcelona in 2017 in a deal worth up to £135m. Signed by PSG for just £43.5m in 2023, he rediscovered form after Enrique shifted him from the wing into a central role in December. From then on, he scored 30 goals, reviving his career to world-class levels.

The Frenchman became the sixth player from his country to lift the Ballon d’Or, and only the second this century after Karim Benzema in 2022.

Other PSG stars also dominated the awards, with Vitinha (3rd), Achraf Hakimi (6th), Gianluigi Donnarumma (9th), and Nuno Mendes (10th) all finishing in the top ten. PSG were also named Team of the Year, while Enrique won Coach of the Year.

Elsewhere, Sweden’s Viktor Gyökeres—who moved to Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon in the summer—secured the Gerd Müller Trophy after netting 54 goals in 52 games last season.

Barcelona’s 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, though narrowly missing out on the Ballon d’Or, retained the Kopa Trophy for the best young player, becoming the first footballer to win it twice.

Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who left PSG for Manchester City on deadline day, claimed his second Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper, having kept 17 clean sheets in 47 matches last term. Liverpool’s Alisson Becker finished second.

The humanitarian Socrates Award went to the Xana Fundacion, set up in memory of Luis Enrique’s late daughter, continuing its work to support young people battling life-threatening illnesses.

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