Ousmane Dembele has been crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner after leading Paris Saint-Germain to Champions League glory, narrowly beating Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.
Ousmane Dembele has been crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, edging out Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to claim the prestigious prize. The Paris Saint-Germain forward becomes only the second Frenchman in the past four years to lift the award, after playing a talismanic role in PSG’s long-awaited Champions League triumph and guiding them all the way to the FIFA Club World Cup final.
On the women’s side, Barcelona and Spain’s Aitana Bonmati collected the Ballon d’Or Feminin for the third consecutive year, further cementing her dominance at the top of the women’s game.
Trophy Sweep Across Goalkeeping and Rising Talents
The evening also celebrated excellence in goalkeeping, with Gianluigi Donnarumma named the Yashin Trophy winner for best men’s goalkeeper, while the women’s accolade went to England’s Hannah Hampton.
Barcelona’s influence on the night was undeniable. Lamine Yamal retained the Kopa Trophy as the world’s best under-21 player, giving the Catalan club a remarkable four wins in the men’s category across the last five years. The Blaugrana also celebrated the inaugural Women’s Kopa Trophy, awarded to Vicky Lopez for her outstanding displays in club football and Spain’s journey to the EURO 2025 final.
Strikers, Coaches, and Club Success Recognized
Recognition for goalscoring prowess went to two forwards in electric form: Arsenal’s new arrival Viktor Gyokeres and Barcelona’s prolific Ewa Pajor, who both picked up the Gerd Müller Trophy.
The Socrates Award, given for humanitarian work, was presented to the Xana Foundation, created in memory of Luis Enrique’s late daughter and continuing to impact lives off the pitch. On the sidelines of coaching honors, PSG’s Luis Enrique claimed the Johan Cruyff Trophy as men’s coach of the year, while England’s Sarina Wiegman won the women’s award for her continued success at international level.
The Club of the Year trophies once again underscored the dominance of Europe’s elite. PSG earned the men’s award, recognizing their continental success, while Arsenal’s women were named the world’s top club side.