Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé was crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or on Monday night in Paris, taking football’s most prestigious individual prize after a career-best campaign that helped power PSG to major silverware.
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Dembélé, 28, finished ahead of Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal, who placed second in the voting, with PSG team-mate Vitinha rounding out the top three. The award was decided by a panel of international journalists at the ceremony held at the Théâtre du Châtelet.
The French international produced eye-catching numbers in 2024–25, scoring prolifically and playing a central role in PSG’s successful run in domestic and European competitions. Reports from the ceremony and season summaries credited Dembélé with an outstanding goals tally and decisive performances in the UEFA Champions League as PSG claimed the club’s first Champions League title.
For Dembélé the Ballon d’Or represents a long-awaited peak after a rollercoaster career that has included periods of brilliance, injury setbacks and an earlier, high-profile spell at Barcelona. Observers — and many former teammates and coaches — framed the award as recognition of both his individual evolution and his contributions to PSG’s title haul.
Reactions to the result were mixed across the football world: supporters and pundits praised Dembélé’s finishing, creativity and influence on big matches, while some debate persisted about how to compare differing roles and competitions across the nominees. Nonetheless, the 2025 Ballon d’Or cements Dembélé’s place among the elite after what many outlets described as the best season of his career.
Organizers also handed out the Kopa Trophy for the best U21 player and the Ballon d’Or Féminin during the same event, underscoring a broader night of awards celebrating achievements across men’s and women’s football.
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