Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele has been named the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, beating Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to the coveted prize. The French forward received the award on Monday night in Paris, capping off a remarkable season in which he fired PSG to an unprecedented quadruple, including their first-ever UEFA Champions League title.
Dembele, 28, emerged as the clear favourite after a phenomenal 2024/25 campaign under Luis Enrique. He scored 35 goals and registered 14 assists across all competitions, playing a decisive role in PSG’s dominance as they lifted the Ligue 1 trophy, Coupe de France, French Super Cup, and the long-awaited Champions League crown.
The Ballon d’Or podium was rounded out by Yamal in second place, followed by PSG’s Vitinha, Liverpool’s talisman Mohamed Salah, and Barcelona winger Raphinha. The rest of the top 10 featured Achraf Hakimi, Kylian Mbappe, Cole Palmer, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Nuno Mendes.
An emotional Dembele struggled to hold back tears as he accepted the award from Brazilian legend Ronaldinho.
“What I’m experiencing is exceptional. It’s been an incredible year with Paris Saint-Germain. I thank PSG, its president, the staff, my coach Luis Enrique, and my teammates — because this individual trophy belongs to the team,” Dembele said.
He went on to describe PSG as “an incredible family,” while praising club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and manager Luis Enrique, both of whom he referred to as father figures in his career.
The triumph cements Dembele’s place among football’s elite and marks a career-defining moment for a player once plagued by injuries but now at the pinnacle of the sport.