France’s Ousmane Dembélé has been named the winner of the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or, football’s most prestigious individual award.
At a glittering ceremony in Paris, the 28-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star was overcome with emotion as he thanked his family for their sacrifices and support throughout his career.
Dembélé’s journey to the top has been marked by setbacks, including repeated injuries and doubts over his consistency, but his 2024/25 season proved decisive. He played a key role in PSG’s treble triumph—winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League—while also helping the team reach the Club World Cup final.
The win places Dembélé among France’s greatest football icons who have lifted the Ballon d’Or, including Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema.
First created in 1956 by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or is decided by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings, who vote on the player deemed to have performed best over the season.