Paris Saint-Germain player Ousmane Dembele is the winner of 2025 Ballon d’Or on Monday evening in Paris, the culmination of a remarkable campaign that witnessed the French club finally conquer the UEFA Champions League trophy. The 28-year-old trumped teenager sensation Lamine Yamal of Barcelona and PSG colleague Vitinha also won other football’s most valued individual honor.
This triumph is a huge milestone in the career of Dembele . With his flair and talent, the French international had been regarded for years as a player of incredible ability who was constantly hampered by injury and inconsistency. But in the 2024–25 season, he finally fulfilled that potential guiding PSG to a historic treble with a series of decisive displays, most notably under intense-pressure situations in Europe.
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Dembele’s late campaign excellence and match-winning plays were major considerations among Ballon d’Or voters. His goal and assist tally, along with his creative spark, made him not just claim this honor but also win the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season award earlier in the year.
This is also major one for PSG, as it marks their emergence as the masters of European football after decades of close misses. Dembélé’s performance epitomized the maturity and strength that had eluded the player and the club in previous seasons.
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The 2025 Ballon d’Or podium also noted a generational transition in world football. Lamine Yamal, only 18 years of age, came in second evidencing FC Barcelona’s ongoing tradition of developing top-level talent. Yamal also became the winner of the Kopa Trophy, being handed to the world’s best youth player. Vitinha’s third-place finish further emphasized PSG’s aggregate strength during an actually historic season.
