Ousmane Dembélé
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has beaten Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal to the Ballon d’Or after a fine season that ended with Champions League success.
Dembélé, 28, scored 35 goals in 53 appearances in all competitions for treble-winners PSG, who also won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France in addition to their first-ever Champions League trophy.
The French side also reached the final of the Club World Cup in the summer, eventually losing to Chelsea in the final in the United States.
Dembélé—who is currently injured and wasn’t part of PSG’s squad for Monday’s rescheduled game against Marseille—collected the award at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on Monday, September 22, 2025.
The Ballon d’Or is given to the best men’s player over the past season and is administered by France Football, with international journalists voting for the winner based on individual performances, team achievements, and a player’s class and fair play.
“Thank you all,” an emotional Dembélé said on Monday. “What just happened to me is incredible. I’m speechless. It’s been an amazing season with PSG. I’ve experienced incredible things, and I’m a little nervous; it’s not easy.
“Receiving this trophy, especially from Ronaldinho, is truly exceptional. I want to thank PSG for signing me in 2023. The president, the entire team, and the club. They are a wonderful family. From day one, the president has treated me very well.”
Dembélé, who succeeds Manchester City’s Rodri as the winner, was considered one of the biggest talents in the game when he broke onto the scene, first at Rennes and later at Borussia Dortmund.
“I would also like to thank all the staff at PSG who have been fantastic,” he said. “Luis Enrique, who is like a father to me. He has been very important to my career, even though it’s not over yet. Thank you to all my teammates. We’ve won almost everything. You’ve been by my side, and together we’ve raised our level to achieve these team trophies. This is an individual award, but we all share in this success as a team.”
Barcelona paid over €100 million ($117.7m) to sign him in 2017, but despite spending six seasons at the Catalan club, he never quite managed to take his game to the next level.
However, since moving to PSG in 2023 for €50m, he has established himself as one of the best players in the game under coach Luis Enrique.