Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele capped off a dream season by winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or in Paris on Monday night, edging out Lamine Yamal and Vitinha to claim football’s most prestigious individual prize. It was a historic evening that also saw Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati make history with her third straight Ballon d’Or Feminin, while Lamine Yamal and Vicky López picked up the Kopa Trophies. From Donnarumma’s Yashin win to Arsenal’s Ewa Pajor taking the top scorer award, the night was a showcase of both established stars and the game’s rising talents.
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Dembele’s achievements last season, leading PSG to their first-ever UEFA Champions League title along with domestic trophies, proved decisive. He’s now the first Frenchman to win the award since Karim Benzema in 2022.
In the women’s category, Aitana Bonmati of FC Barcelona made history, winning the Ballon d’Or Feminin for the third year in a row. It’s a rare feat, previously achieved only by legends such as Lionel Messi and Michel Platini in the men’s game. Her consistency and performance, even in the face of setbacks, reinforced her status at the very top.
Full Roll-Call of Last Night’s Winners
Here are some of the major award winners and standout recognitions from the ceremony:
Men’s Ballon d’Or: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)
Women’s Ballon d’Or: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
Men’s Kopa Trophy (best young male player): Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Women’s Kopa Trophy: Vicky López (Barcelona)
Men’s Yashin Trophy (best male goalkeeper): Gianluigi Donnarumma (Man City)
Women’s Yashin Trophy: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea/England)
Gerd Müller Trophy (Top Scorer):
Men: Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal/Sweden)
Women: Ewa Pajor (Barcelona/Poland)
Best Coach / Johan Cruyff Trophy:
Men: Luis Enrique (PSG)
Women: Sarina Wiegman (England)
Clubs of the Year:
Men’s: Paris Saint-Germain
Women’s: Arsenal
Additional Honours: Socrates Award went to the Xana Foundation
