Paris — Ousmane Dembélé, the French winger for Paris Saint-Germain, has been awarded the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or, marking the first time in his career he has won the prestigious individual honour.
The 69th edition of the ceremony was held on Monday, 22 September 2025, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Dembélé was selected ahead of Lamine Yamal of Barcelona and PSG teammate Vitinha, who finished second and third respectively in the voting.
Dembélé, aged 28, enjoyed a breakthrough 2024-25 season. Key highlights of the season include:
Playing a pivotal role in guiding PSG to their first ever UEFA Champions League title.
Contributing a goal tally of 35 goals in all competitions, plus a significant number of assists.
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Helping PSG win multiple trophies domestically, including Ligue 1 and the French Cup, securing a trophy-packed season.
During his acceptance speech, Dembélé grew emotional as he thanked his mother, his teammates, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, coach Luis Enrique, former clubs (including Rennes and Barcelona), and supporters. He emphasised that while the award is an individual one, it belongs just as much to the team.
He becomes the sixth French player to win the Men’s Ballon d’Or, following in the footsteps of Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema.
