ADVERTISEMENT
Paris Saint Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award on Monday for leading his team to their first UEFA Champions League title in May, becoming only the sixth Frenchman to claim football’s most coveted prize.
The award capped a remarkable turn of fortune for Dembélé, who at one point last season was snubbed by PSG coach Luis Enrique for disciplinary reasons.
But once repositioned as a striker, he became a scoring machine and was inspirational in PSG’s historic Champions League campaign. He also played a major role in the French club’s title-stacked 2024/25 season, which saw them also secure a domestic treble, winning the league, cup and super cup.
The PSG star and former Barcelona player now joins an elite club of French footballing icons to win the award, which include Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema.
Dembélé was praised after the Champions League final for the way he contributed to PSG’s pressing and his ability to defend during the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan.
He delivered 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 official matches last season, and was involved in 14 goals (8 goals, 6 assists) in the Champions League in 15 appearances.
The French forward was also a major weapon for the Parisian side in their campaign in the FIFA Club World Cup over the summer, which took place in the United States. PSG lost 3-0 in the final to a dominant Chelsea side, but Dembélé continued to show top form.
Dembélé received the Ballon d’Or from former winner Ronaldinho and teared up during his acceptance speech in which he asked his mother to join him on the stage.
“It’s incredible to win a trophy like this,” he said in French. “I worked for the team to help win PSG’s first Champions League, to then be rewarded with an individual trophy like the Ballon d’Or is truly exceptional.”
Dembélé won ahead of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. The forward, who turned 18 in July, helped Barcelona win La Liga and the Copa del Rey last season and reach the Champions League semifinals. Yamal was given the Kopa award for the best under-21 player for the second straight year.
“I need to keep on working to win other awards in the future,” Yamal said through a translator.
Bonmatí makes history
On the women’s side, Aitana Bonmatí secured a historic third consecutive award on Monday, becoming only the third player to win three Ballon d’Or’s in a row, after Platini’s 1983-85 run, and Lionel Messi’s 2009-12, and the first woman to do so.
“Third time in a row here and I still can’t believe it,” Bonmatí said “I owe Barcelona everything, this is the club of my life.”
Barcelona’s Bonmatí, who won ahead of her Spain teammate Mariona Caldentey, also won a domestic treble with her club, and reached the Women’s Champions League final, losing to 1-0 to Arsenal in a thrilling match but capping off an impressive season
Although the Spanish international lost to England in a penalty shootout in the Women’s European Championship final last summer, she was named the best player of the tournament, which she began just days after being hospitalised by viral meningitis.
Other awards
PSG was voted the best men’s club and Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma received the Lev Yashin award for best goalkeeper.
Donnarumma, whose shot-stopping in the knockout stages proved crucial to PSG’s success, left for Manchester City during the offseason. England’s Hannah Hampton was crowned the best women’s goalkeeper, after a remarkable season of club football with Chelsea and guiding the Lionesses to a back-to-back Euro title this summer.
The men’s and women’s Gerd Müller trophies for the top scorers went to Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor and Viktor Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal this summer from Sporting Portugal after a prolific season, which saw him register 54 goals and 13 assists across 52 appearances in all competitions.
Barcelona forward Vicky Lopez won the women’s Kopa trophy and Sarina Wiegman, who led England to European victory, took the Johan Cruyff award for best women’s coach. On a great night for PSG, Luis Enrique won in the men’s category.
