Ousmane Dembele Wins 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or

‎Paris Saint-Germain forward, Ousmane Dembélé, has been named the winner of the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or.

‎PSG’s domestic dominance and Champions League triumph made the club a strong contender to produce this year’s victor. While teammates Achraf Hakimi and Vitinha were mentioned as outside candidates, the spotlight remained firmly on Dembélé.

‎He ultimately edged out Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who finished as runner-up in the voting.

‎Now 28, 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 netted 21 goals and provided eight assists in 29 matches, finishing as joint top scorer and securing a place in the Team of the Year.

‎His Ballon d’Or case, however, was strengthened most by his exploits in the Champions League. The Frenchman delivered eight goals in the competition, striking crucially against the likes of 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.”