By Ihechi Enyinnaya
Ousmane Dembele has been named the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, beating Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to the prestigious prize.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward received the award on Monday night at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, becoming the first Frenchman since Karim Benzema in 2022 to lift the trophy.
Dembele, once written off during his injury-hit spell at Barcelona, turned his career around with a stellar season at PSG, helping the club to Champions League glory and re-establishing himself as one of the game’s most decisive attackers.
The top three standings saw Vitinha finish third, Mohamed Salah fourth, and Raphinha fifth. Other big names in the top ten included Kylian Mbappe, Achraf Hakimi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Nuno Mendes, and Cole Palmer.
Former Brazilian star Ronaldinho presented Dembele with the award to thunderous chants of “Ousmane” from the crowd. Beaming with pride, the French international lifted the golden ball aloft as he joined the elite ranks of world football.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third consecutive year, further cementing her dominance in women’s football.
The night also saw PSG named Men’s Club of the Year, with Arsenal taking the Women’s Club of the Year award.