Ousmane Dembele wins Ballon d’Or after leading PSG to historic treble | OneFootball

Ousmane Dembele has finally reached the summit of world football. The Paris Saint-Germain forward was crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner in Paris, becoming the sixth Frenchman to claim the game’s most prestigious individual honour.

At 28, Dembele’s triumph is both a personal redemption and a reflection of PSG’s dominance. He scored 35 goals and added 16 assists across 53 appearances last season, firing Luis Enrique’s side to a historic treble of the Champions League, Ligue 1, and Coupe de France.

His brace of assists in the final against Inter and eight goals in the European run made him the standout figure in PSG’s first ever Champions League triumph.

This was the season Dembele moved from fragile talent to unstoppable force. Enrique’s mid-season decision to deploy him centrally unlocked a ruthless streak that had long eluded him.

From December onwards, he struck 30 times, transforming into PSG’s clinical spearhead. It was the consistency Barcelona had hoped for when they paid more than €100m in 2017, but only now did Dembele deliver.

The Frenchman was emotional on stage, dedicating the prize to PSG, his coaches, and his family. “What I have just experienced is exceptional, I have no words for it,” he said. “We have practically won everything together. This individual trophy is one the team has won collectively.”

Presented with the trophy by Ronaldinho, Dembele described the moment as “exceptional” and thanked PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, whom he called “like a father.”

His win represents the culmination of a journey scarred by injury and inconsistency. For years he was the winger of dazzling dribbles but fleeting influence.

Now, in Paris, he has become the world’s best player. Kylian Mbappe, who left PSG for Real Madrid last summer, summed it up simply: “If it were up to me, I’d deliver it to his house.”

Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal finished second and collected the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player for a second consecutive year. PSG’s Vitinha was third, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah fourth, and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer a surprise eighth.

In the women’s award, Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati secured her third successive Ballon d’Or, underlining her dominance in the game.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres took the Gerd Muller Trophy after scoring 54 goals last season, while PSG’s Luis Enrique was named men’s coach of the year.

But the night belonged to Dembele, the talent who had long promised so much. After years of waiting, he finally delivered on football’s grandest stage.