Ousmane Dembele, a French international player for Paris Saint-Germain, has been named the 2025 men’s ballon d’or winner, with Aitana Bonmati, a Spanish international from Barcelona, taking the women’s title for the third year in a row.
The pair received the trophies on Monday at the Paris, France-based Théâtre du Chatelet, which are regarded as the most prestigious individual awards in football.
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Dembele immediately acted as a starring player for Spain in their Euro 2025 triumph, helping PSG to win its first Champions League title in May and fending off fierce opposition from Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, who immediately won the Spanish club the La Liga title.
However, fellow Barca forward Bonmati was better informed as she became the third player to record a hat-trick of titles, behind former world champion Lionel Messi and former world champion Lionel Messi.
Dembele succeeded Rodri, who defeated Raymond Kopa, Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema to become the sixth Frenchman to win it.
Mariona Caldentey, her teammate in Spain, came out on top.
Dembele is the club’s, if not the country’s leader over Yamal.
Dembele, who was once snubbed by PSG coach Luis Enrique for disciplinary reasons, received the award as a remarkable turn of events. However, he quickly rose to the position of No. 9 and became a scoring force during PSG’s historic Champions League campaign. Last season, the French club completed a quadruple.
Dembele earned praise after the Champions League final for his role in PSG’s pressing and ability to defend against Inter Milan, which ended 5-1. In 53 official matches last year, he scored 35 goals and 16 assists, and he made 14 Champions League goals (eight goals, six assists) in 15 appearances.
Dembele asked his mother to accompany him on stage after receiving the Ballon d’Or from Ronaldinho, who had previously won it.
He remarked in French, “It’s incredible to win this,” adding that. “I helped the team win PSG’s first Champions League,” I said. It is truly exceptional to then receive a prize like the Ballon d’Or.
Yamal, a 19-year-old barca forward, also contributed to Barcelona’s promotion to the Copa del Rey last season, the Spanish top flight, and to reaching the Champions League semifinals. For the second consecutive year, Yamal received the Kopa award for best under-21 player.
Through a translator, Yamal said, “I need to keep working to win other awards in the future.”
Dembele’s team lost to Marseille 1-0 in the French league, but he was able to attend the ceremony in Paris despite suffering an injury. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Desire Doue, who scored twice in the Champions League final, and winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were just three PSG players chosen for the men’s award.
Bonmati wins the third consecutive Ballon d’Or after losing to Spain.
Although Bonmati lost to England in the Women’s European Championship final last summer on penalties, she was named the tournament’s best player. Her illness first came about a few days after she was taken in for viral meningitis.
Hannah Hampton, England’s best female goalkeeper, saved Bonmati’s spot kick in the shootout, which was one of two saved.
“Third time in a row here, and I still can’t believe it,” Bonmati exclaimed. I owe everything to Barcelona. My life’s club is this.
She also advanced to the Champions League final and a domestic treble with Barcelona.
Barcelona has already won the last five women’s awards, but it was anticipated that an Englishwoman would take home the trophy for the first time. Arsenal won the Women’s Champions League after winning the Euros. However, Alessia Russo came in third place among the women’s top 10 nominees, which included five England players.
Other Ballon d’Or prizes
The women’s Kopa trophy was won by Barcelona’s Vicky Lopez, and Sarina Wiegman, England’s champion champion, was awarded the Johan Cruyff award for best women’s coach. Luis Enrique won in the men’s category on a fantastic evening for PSG.
Donnarumma won the Lev Yashin award for best goalkeeper, and PSG was chosen as the best men’s team. Duranumma left for Manchester City in the offseason, where his shot-stopping in the knockout stages was crucial to PSG’s success. The best female goalkeeper was Hannah Hampton.
Source: Aljazeera
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