France international and PSG winger Ousmane Dembélé has been crowned the winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or, football’s most prestigious individual honour.
The announcement was made on Monday night at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, where the world’s biggest stars gathered to celebrate the year’s finest players.
Dembélé, 28, edged out Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to claim the prize, succeeding Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, the 2024 winner.
The former Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona star, who helped France lift the 2018 World Cup, enjoyed a remarkable season — scoring 35 goals across all competitions as PSG secured a historic treble: the French league, domestic cup, and their first-ever Champions League title.
“I really don’t have the words. It was an incredible season with PSG,” said an emotional Dembélé, praising his coach Luis Enrique, who he described as “like a father.”
“It is an individual trophy, but truly it was the collective that won it,” he added, noting that nine of his PSG teammates were also among the nominees.
“The Ballon d’Or was never really an objective for me, but I worked hard for the team to win the Champions League.”
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Yamal — once Dembélé’s teammate at Barcelona when he first broke through in 2023 — claimed the Kopa Trophy for the best player under 21, winning it for the second consecutive year.
