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Updated on: Sept 23, 2025 06:34 am IST
PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé was awarded the 2025 Ballon d’Or in Paris, marking a pivotal season that included winning the unprecedented treble for the club.
PSG winger Ousmane Dembélé was crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner on Monday in Paris. This caps a transformative season that delivered the long-awaited UEFA Champions League title for the French Club. The 28-year-old Frenchman edged Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and PSG teammate Vitinha to claim football’s most prestigious individual honour.
Dembélé’s triumph represents the culmination of a career-defining season in which his decisive contributions in crucial moments propelled PSG to an unprecedented treble. His late-season surge and standout performances on Europe’s biggest stages swayed the voters, who rewarded his combination of goals, assists, and game-changing impacts when it mattered the most.
A historic achievement
The award marks a significant breakthrough for both the player and the club. Dembélé, who previously struggled with consistency and injury woes despite his obvious talent, finally delivered the sustained excellence that had long been expected of him. His Champions League Player of the Season award, presented earlier this year, highlighted his pivotal role in PSG’s European conquest. He was pivotal for the team, providing the creative spark and clinical finishing that had eluded the Parisian giants in the previous campaigns.
The podium reflected the emergence of a new generation. 18-year-old Yamal’s second-place finish stands as evidence of Barcelona’s continued production of world-class talent. The teenager also claimed the Kopa Trophy for best young player, while Vitinha’s third-place finish demonstrated PSG’s team strength in their historic campaign.
Bonmatí etches herself in the history books
In the women’s category, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí secured her third consecutive Ballon d’Or, cementing her status as the dominant force in women’s football. Despite the European disappointments of Barcelona this season, the 26-year-old Spaniard’s consistency and all-round excellence continued to raise the bar in the women’s game.
The ceremony recognised PSG’s remarkable transformation under their current setup, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma collecting the Yashi Trophy for best goalkeeper. Barcelona’s influence remained strong through Vicky López’s Women’s Kopa Trophy win.
England manager Sarina Wiegman and Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton were among other notable women’s award recipients. PSG’s recognition as Club of the Season underlined the resurgence of French football on the global stage.
