Dembélé Wins 2025 Ballon d'Or After PSG Champions League

Ousmane Dembélé was crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or — his first — after a trophy-laden season with Paris Saint-Germain that included the club’s maiden UEFA Champions League title and domestic success. Dembélé, visibly emotional on stage, thanked PSG, former clubs and teammates while Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé publicly congratulated him. He finished ahead of Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal, who collected the Kopa Trophy again amid criticism from his father calling the result “the biggest moral damage” and comments from Barcelona president Joan Laporta that PSG’s Champions League triumph carried decisive weight. The gala also included Ronaldinho presenting the prize and Aitana Bonmatí becoming the first woman to win three consecutive Ballon d’Or trophies. The ceremony underscored a mix of individual form and PSG’s collective achievements that influenced voting and drew widespread social-media reaction.