PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé Edges Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal for 2025 Ballon d’Or | OneFootball

PSG standout Ousmane Dembélé has won the 2025 Ballon d’Or over Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal.

During his acceptance speech, the PSG standout wanted to focus on the club president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who played a major role in his life after arriving from Barcelona.

“I wanted to thank PSG, who came to get me in 2023,” Dembélé said while accepting the award. “The president, the whole club. It’s a family. […] The president has been exceptional with me! He’s like a dad to me! Just like Luis Enrique! He has been a very important person!”

Dembélé has emerged as the frontrunner for the Ballon d’Or following a remarkable 2024–25 season with PSG. The French winger was pivotal in the club’s historic treble, helping secure the Champions League, Ligue 1, and Coupe de France.

The Frenchman’s stats speak volumes: 35 goals and 16 assists across 53 appearances. More crucially, he delivered when it mattered most, cementing his claim as the leading candidate for football’s most prestigious individual award.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal is also in the conversation. He contributed 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 matches, playing a key role in Barcelona’s victories in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España, allowing him to be the main challenger for the Ballon d’Or.