Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Ousmane Dembele has been crowned the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or winner, holding off Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal to claim football’s most prestigious individual honour. Meanwhile, Spain’s Aitana Bonmati continued her dominance in the women’s category, winning the award for the third consecutive year.
Dembele, 28, emerged as the standout choice following a stellar season in which he filled the gap left by Kylian Mbappe at PSG, scoring 35 goals and leading the team to a domestic clean sweep. The French club also reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, with Dembele’s performances proving decisive throughout the campaign.
Lamine Yamal, 18, was widely tipped as a potential winner, finished second after an impressive breakthrough season at Barcelona. Last year’s Kopa Trophy winner, Yamal contributed 18 goals in 55 appearances, helping Barcelona secure La Liga and the Copa del Rey, though the team fell short in the Champions League semifinals against Inter Milan.
Dembele also made history by becoming the third Muslim player to win the men’s Ballon d’Or, following in the footsteps of Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema.
Zidane was the first Muslim footballer to claim the award in 1998, while Benzema became the second in 2022 after a remarkable season with Real Madrid.
Joining Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal in the top 10 of the men’s Ballon d’Or were a host of standout performers from Europe’s top leagues. PSG’s Vitinha claimed third place after a stellar campaign in midfield, while Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah finished fourth, continuing his prolific run in the Premier League. Barcelona’s Raphinha came in fifth, recognised for his creativity and goal contributions. PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, instrumental in both attack and defence, took sixth place, with Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid seventh. Chelsea’s Cole Palmer impressed enough to rank eighth, while PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma secured ninth place, highlighting his influence between the posts. Rounding out the top 10 was PSG’s Nuno Mendes, whose dynamic performances at left-back helped his team dominate domestically and in Europe.
The Ballon d’Or, presented annually by France Football since 1956, recognises outstanding achievement and exceptional talent in the sport. This year’s ceremony, often described as the Oscars of football, showcased the finest performers from across Europe, with PSG dominating the men’s nominations thanks to their Champions League triumph over Inter Milan in a 5-0 final.
