Paris Saint-Germain and France forward Ousmane Dembele was crowned the winner of the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or in an emotional ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on Monday, September 22.
Dembélé Enters History: PSG Star Claims First Ballon d’Or After Champions League Triumph
The 28-year-old beat Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who finished second, to claim football’s most prestigious individual award for the first time.
@ballondor
Dembele crying infront of his emotional wife after being awarded Balloon D’ior 🎉😂🥳 pic.twitter.com/3tec1NpSba— Babygirl 😘 💗 (@OponEdward) September 22, 2025
His victory marks a remarkable career resurgence, cementing his status as the world’s best player after a season where he led PSG to their first-ever UEFA Champions League title.
Dembele became the sixth Frenchman to win the award, joining an elite list including Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and the most recent French winner, Karim Benzema in 2022. He succeeds Manchester City’s Rodri, who won the award last year.
Dembele’s award comes as a direct reward for a spectacular 2024/25 season where he was the standout player in a historic PSG team.
Under coach Luis Enrique, the French club achieved a continental treble, winning the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France.
The forward enjoyed the most prolific season of his career, scoring 35 goals and providing 16 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions.
A key tactical shift mid-season saw Dembele moved from his traditional winger role to a central striker position, a change that unlocked his scoring potential.
From that point forward, he scored 30 goals, finishing as the joint-top scorer in Ligue 1 with 21 goals and being named the Champions League Player of the Season.
Emotional Victory and Look to the Future
An emotional Dembele was visibly moved as he received the trophy from Brazilian legend and former PSG star Ronaldinho.
During his acceptance speech, he tearfully thanked his teammates, coach Luis Enrique—who he described as “like a father”—and the PSG leadership.
In a poignant moment, he invited his mother to join him on stage. While Dembele basks in his achievement, the football world is already looking ahead.
With a World Cup scheduled for 2026, the race for next year’s Ballon d’Or is wide open, with contenders like Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and Mohamed Salah expected to challenge.
For now, however, the spotlight firmly belongs to Ousmane Dembele, whose journey from a prodigious talent to the best player on the planet is complete.
From the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony held on September 22, here are the key winners and results.
| Men’s Ballon d’Or | Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain) |
| Women’s Ballon d’Or | Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona) – third consecutive win |
| Men’s Ballon d’Or Runner-Up | Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) |
| Men’s Kopa Trophy (Best U-21) | Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) |
| Women’s Kopa Trophy (Best U-21) | Vicky López (Barcelona) |
| Men’s Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper) | Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy/PSG, now at Man City) |
| Women’s Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper) | Hannah Hampton (England/Chelsea) |
| Men’s Gerd Müller Trophy (Top Scorer) | Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden/Sporting CP, now at Arsenal) |
| Women’s Gerd Müller Trophy (Top Scorer) | Ewa Pajor (Poland/Barcelona) |
| Men’s Club of the Year | Paris Saint-Germain |
