Ousmane Dembélé Wins 2025 Ballon d’Or After Career-Best Season with PSG

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has been crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, capping off a sensational individual campaign that saw him lead his club to both domestic dominance and Champions League glory.

Dembélé becomes the first French player since Karim Benzema in 2022 to win football’s most prestigious individual prize, edging out rising star Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, who finished runner-up in the voting.

Now 28, Dembélé delivered the most complete season of his career in 2024–25. Initially deployed in his usual role on the right wing, the former Barcelona man was soon transformed into a central striker by PSG manager Luis Enrique—a tactical shift that proved decisive.

In Ligue 1, Dembélé racked up 21 goals and eight assists in just 29 appearances, earning a share of the Golden Boot and a place in the Team of the Year. But it was his exploits in the Champions League that ultimately secured his place atop the Ballon d’Or podium.

Facing elite competition, Dembélé was electric on Europe’s biggest stage, scoring eight goals against clubs like Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal. He added six assists, including one for the decisive goal in PSG’s semifinal win over Arsenal, and two more in the 5–1 demolition of Inter in the final.

“Winning a Ballon d’Or when you’re a football player is obviously the Holy Grail individually,” Dembélé told France Football in June. “It’s something you dream about when you’re little. I remember when it was on Téléfoot, watching the players receive the Ballon d’Or—it was incredible. Just the object, the ball itself, it’s exceptional.”

While Achraf Hakimi and Vitinha were also strong contributors to PSG’s historic season, it was Dembélé’s evolution into a ruthless, clutch performer that captured the imagination of voters.

Once hailed as a prodigious talent beset by injuries and inconsistency, Dembélé’s 2025 Ballon d’Or win marks not only a personal redemption arc but also a turning point in his legacy—now firmly established among the game’s greats.