Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has been crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, securing football’s most prestigious individual accolade at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday night.
The French international earned the honour after a remarkable 2024/25 season in which he netted 35 goals and provided 16 assists across all competitions. His contributions were instrumental in PSG’s historic treble, with the club lifting their first-ever UEFA Champions League title alongside the Ligue 1 crown and Coupe de France.
Dembélé, 28, topped the voting ahead of Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal and other global stars, marking the high point of a career once plagued by injuries and setbacks. His win underlines PSG’s growing global dominance, as the French champions also featured prominently in the Ballon d’Or team of the season.
Africa was proudly represented in the top 10 by Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah. Hakimi, Dembélé’s PSG teammate, capped an outstanding year with decisive performances in PSG’s Champions League run, while Salah continued to shine as Liverpool’s talisman, cementing his legacy as one of Africa’s greatest players of the modern era.
Their inclusion among the world’s elite highlighted Africa’s enduring impact on the global game, even as the top prize went to Dembélé.
The night also featured memorable moments, including celebratory performances and tributes, with fans and teammates hailing Dembélé’s long-awaited rise to the pinnacle of world football.
