PSG forward Dembélé named best player in the world at FIFA The Best

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·16 December 2025

PSG forward Dembélé named best player in the world at FIFA The Best

Ousmane Dembélé was elected the best player in the world. The Paris Saint-Germain striker received the FIFA The Best award, held in Doha, Qatar, this Tuesday. The player beat out Lamine Yamal from Barcelona and Mbappé from Real Madrid, who completed the top 3.

“I would like to thank my teammates, it was a fantastic year, both collectively and individually. I would like to thank my family, PSG, the president, his staff, everyone who works at the club, and the FIFA president. I am very happy and I hope to come back next year to receive this award,” said Dembélé upon receiving the prize.

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In September, Dembélé had already been awarded the Ballon d'Or after a great season with PSG. In 2024/2025, the Frenchman played 53 matches, scored 35 goals, and provided 14 assists. In addition, he was crucial in winning the Champions League, with two assists in the final against Inter Milan.

Dembélé is preparing to play in the Intercontinental Cup final. PSG and Flamengo will face each other this Wednesday at 2 p.m. (Brasília time) in Qatar.

Other Brazilians go home empty-handed

Other Brazilians were also in the running. Striker Alerrandro, currently at CSKA, was competing for the Puskás Award for a goal scored for Vitória in the win over Cruzeiro in the 2024 Brasileirão. The winner in the category was Argentine Santiago Montiel, with a bicycle kick from outside the box for Independiente, in Independiente vs. Independiente Rivadavia, this year.

In the women's category, striker Marta of Orlando Pride was defending the award that bears her name for a goal scored in her team's win over Kansas City. Midfielder Lizbeth Ovalle, currently on the same team as the Brazilian star, took the award for a goal scored while playing for Tigres in their win over Guadalajara in 2025.

See all the awards

Best goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Manchester City) Best coach: Luis Enrique (PSG) Best player: Dembélé (PSG) Puskás Award: Santiago Montiel (for Independiente – Independiente vs. Independiente Rivadavia, in 2025) Men's Best XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Achraf Hakimi, Willian Pacho, Virgil Van Dijk, and Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, and Pedri, Lamine Yamal, and Ousmane Dembélé.

Best goalkeeper (women): Hannah Hampton (Chelsea/England) Best coach (women): Sarina Wiegman (England National Team) Best player (women): Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona/Spain) Marta Award: Lizbeth Ovalle (for Tigres – Tigres vs. Guadalajara, in 2025) Women's Best XI: Hannah Hampton; Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Irene Paredes, and Ona Battle; Aitana Bonmatí, Patri Guijarro, and Cláudia Pina; Mari Caldentey, Alessia Russo, and Alexia Putellas.

Other awards

Fair Play Award: Andreas Harlass-Neuking (doctor of Jahn Regensburg (GER))

In April 2024, Andreas Harlass-Neuking, doctor of Jahn Regensburg, a team in Germany's Second Division, assisted an FC Magdeburg fan, a rival team supporter, who had fainted just before the match began. Upon learning of the situation from the players, he jumped over a barrier to reach the fan and resuscitate him, before directing him to a local hospital.

Fan Award: Zakho SC Fans

Before the Zakho vs. Al-Hudood match, for the Iraqi Stars League, on May 13, Zakho SC fans threw thousands of stuffed animals onto the field. The toys were collected before the game started and donated to children facing serious illnesses.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.