THE WORLD'S SPORTS : Breaking: Ousmane Dembele crowned 2025 Men’s Ballon d'Or winner

🏆 The Win & Ceremony

The 69th Ballon d’Or ceremony took place on September 22, 2025, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Dembélé, playing for Paris Saint‑Germain (PSG), was awarded the men’s Ballon d’Or, edging out Lamine Yamal (2nd) and Vitinha (3rd).
He became the sixth Frenchman ever to win the award, following Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema.
In his speech, Dembélé expressed strong emotion, thanking his family (especially his mother), coaches, teammates, and reflecting on how special it was to receive the trophy from a legend like Ronaldinho.
He also acknowledged that while it’s an individual award, the success was collective — crediting coaches, staff, and teammates.

His contributions helped PSG secure their first ever UEFA Champions League crown, a watershed moment for the club.
In addition to the UCL, PSG also won Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and other domestic trophies during the season, making it a dominant campaign.

According to The Analyst / Opta data, Dembélé had 33 goals and 13 assists across all competitions.
Among forwards from Europe’s top five leagues, he led in non‑penalty goals per 90 minutes (1.07) and shots (5.3).
His form was especially impressive from January onward: 25 goals and 8 assists in 29 matches in all competitions.
He was heavily involved in key matches. For instance, in the Champions League final, he provided two assists, becoming the first player since Marcelo in 2018 to set up two goals in a UCL final.
Over the whole 2024–25 season, his goal involvements (goals + assists) were 46 — more than twice his previous best total.

Runner-up: Lamine Yamal — the young Barcelona & Spain star was widely seen as a formidable challenger, and won the Kopa Trophy (best under-21 player).
Third place: Vitinha (PSG) held the third spot in the voting.
The Top 10 for Men’s Ballon d’Or 2025 (per The Week) was:
1. Ousmane Dembélé
2. Lamine Yamal
3. Vitinha
4. Mohamed Salah
5. Raphinha
6. Achraf Hakimi
7. Kylian Mbappé
8. Cole Palmer
9. Gianluigi Donnarumma
10. Nuno Mendes
Other awards that night:
• Men’s Kopa Trophy: Lamine Yamal
• Men’s Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper): Gianluigi Donnarumma
• Women’s Ballon d’Or: Aitana Bonmatí won for a third consecutive year.
• Women’s Yashin Trophy (goalkeeper): Hannah Hampton
• Best Coach / Women’s Coach: Luis Enrique (men) and Sarina Wiegman (women) were honored.
• Team of the Season, Club Awards, etc., also featured in the ceremony.

Many analysts praised Dembélé’s win as a redemption arc — previously criticized for inconsistency, he delivered when it mattered most.
There was debate about Yamal narrowly missing out, given his meteoric rise and consistency for his age; some viewed the decision as controversial.
The Guardian described the presentation and surrounding culture of the Ballon d’Or as “toxic theater,” but noted that Dembélé’s human story offered a counter‑narrative of meaning.
Many saw the win as a signal: longevity, resilience, and timing still find reward in world football, even in an age obsessed with youth and hype.