Paris Saint-Germain and France forward Ousmane Dembélé has been named the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or winner, capping off a season defined by resilience, brilliance, and redemption after years of injury setbacks.
Ousmane Dembélé’s football journey has been one of unfulfilled promise, constant rehabilitation, and endless questions about what might have been.
On Monday night in Paris, that narrative changed forever, as the 28-year-old forward lifted the 2025 Ballon d’Or, officially recognized as the world’s best player.
Ousmane Dembélé is the sixth French player to win the Ballon d’Or after Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini (3 times), Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema.
Dembélé was central to Paris Saint-Germain’s most successful season in history, spearheading their first UEFA Champions League triumph and delivering consistent match-winning performances throughout the campaign.
His tally of more than 30 goals and 15 assists underscored his importance to the team, while his dazzling display in the Champions League final against Inter Milan cemented his case for football’s most prestigious individual prize.
The Frenchman edged Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal, who finished second, and PSG teammate Vitinha, who came third, in the final voting.
His win marks him as the sixth French player in history to receive the award and the first from PSG since Lionel Messi’s triumph in 2023.
An emotional Dembélé dedicated the honour to his family, medical staff, and supporters who stood by him through years of injury struggles.
“There were times I doubted if I could return to this level,” Dembélé admitted during his acceptance speech. “But I never gave up. This award is proof that hard work and faith can turn dreams into reality.”
For PSG, Dembélé’s recognition is further validation of their rise as a true European powerhouse, with multiple players now competing among the sport’s elite.
For Dembélé himself, the Ballon d’Or represents a moment of vindication, the transformation of a career once defined by fragility into one remembered for greatness.
