The prestigious 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony saw Paris Saint-Germain and France star Ousmane Dembélé crowned the world’s best player, marking a significant milestone in his career. Dembélé, instrumental in PSG’s historic treble-winning campaign—the first ever by a French club—clinched the men’s crown ahead of Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who finished second, and PSG teammate Vitinha, who secured third place. Dembélé’s stellar season included 21 goals and eight assists in 29 Ligue 1 appearances, where he shared the division’s top scorer award and earned a spot in the Team of the Year. Across all competitions, he registered an impressive 39 goals and 14 assists from 61 games for the Parisians, playing a key role in their UEFA Champions League, French Ligue 1, French Cup, and UEFA Super Cup victories. He was also named French Ligue 1 Player of the Season and Champions League Player of the Season, alongside winning the Ligue 1 Golden Boot.

In his acceptance speech, Dembélé expressed gratitude to his teammates, Barcelona—which he called his 'club of dreams'—and specifically Lionel Messi, acknowledging the valuable lessons he learned playing alongside the record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Former TTC Football Academy coach Emmanuel Brown strongly affirmed Dembélé’s deserving victory, stating there should be no debate, unlike the controversy surrounding Rodri’s win over Vinicius in the 2024 edition. Brown highlighted Dembélé’s crucial role in PSG’s domestic and European success, praising his development and humble demeanor.

On the women’s side, Spain’s midfield maestro Aitana Bonmatí made history by winning her third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or. The 27-year-old World Cup winner and three-time Champions League champion continues to redefine excellence, solidifying her status as not only the best in the world today but also a trailblazer in women’s football history. Bonmatí beat out Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo for the award.

The ceremony also honored other top performers in various categories. Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma claimed the 2025 Men’s Yachine Trophy for best goalkeeper, while England’s Hannah Hampton won the Women’s Yachine Trophy. For young talents, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal made history by winning the Men’s Kopa Trophy for the second consecutive year, becoming the first player ever to achieve back-to-back victories. Fellow Spaniard Vicky Lopez, also from Barcelona, took home the Women’s Kopa Trophy. In the scoring category, Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor was honored with the Women’s Gerd Müller Trophy, and Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres claimed the Men’s Gerd Müller Trophy.

Coaching excellence was recognized with the Johan Cruyff Trophy. Luis Enrique of PSG secured the Men’s award, and England manager Sarina Wiegman earned the Women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy for her continued success with the Lionesses. Wiegman notably gave an unexpected shout-out to Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy during her acceptance speech, mentioning she would have danced if he were present.

Regarding club recognition, Arsenal were crowned Women’s Club of the Year, while Paris Saint-Germain claimed the Men’s Club of the Year title. The prestigious Socrates Award was presented to the Xana Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting children and young people battling life-threatening illnesses, established by PSG coach Luis Enrique in memory of his daughter, Xana.

Adding to the global recognition, Nigeria’s Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, currently playing for Paris FC, earned global acclaim by being ranked the fourth-best goalkeeper in the world. The 24-year-old rose to prominence during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and continues to cement her place among the elite. The final rankings for the 2025 Men's Ballon d'Or, published by France Football, included a shortlist of 30 nominees: 1. Ousmane Dembele, 2. Lamine Yamal, 3. Vitinha, 4. Mohamed Salah, 5. Raphinha, 6. Achraf Hakimi, 7. Kylian Mbappe, 8. Cole Palmer, 9. Gianluigi Donnarumma, 10. Nuno Mendes, 11. Pedri, 12. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 13. Harry Kane, 14. Desire Doue, 15. Viktor Gyokeres, 16. Vinicius Jr, 17. Robert Lewandowski, 18. Scott McTominay, 19. Joao Neves, 20. Lautaro Martinez, 21. Serhou Guirassy, 22. Alexis Mac Allister, 23. Jude Bellingham, 24. Fabian Ruiz, 25. Denzel Dumfries, 26. Erling Haaland, 27. Declan Rice, 28. Virgil van Dijk, 29. Florian Wirtz, 30. Michael Olise.