Lamine Yamal, 18 years old, Spain, Barcelona, became the first teenager to finish second in the Ballon d’Or, beating Mohammed Salah, Egypt, Man. United and Kylian Mbappe, France, Real Madrid.
The world’s top football star of the 2024-2025 season is 28-year-old Ousmane Dembélé, France, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Dembélé was selected as the men’s category winner at the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony held at the Châtelet Theatre in Paris, France, yesterday.
Yamal, who came second, also received the Kopa Trophy, awarded to players under 21, for the second consecutive year. Salah came fourth, while Mbappe came distant seventh.
Last season, Dembélé played in 53 official matches for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), scoring 35 goals and recording 14 assists. He contributed to the team’s victories in Ligue 1, the UEFA Champions League, and the French Cup.
PSG achieved its first Champions League title with significant contributions from Dembélé, who provided 2 assists in the final and recorded a total of 8 goals and 6 assists. Upon receiving the award, Dembélé expressed his gratitude to PSG for the opportunity and acknowledged the support of his teammates. “Something unbelievable has happened. I want to thank PSG, which brought me here, and my teammates, who are like family,” he said
PSG, which swept the awards that day, was named the best team of the year, and Luis Enrique, PSG’s manager, received the Coach of the Year award. Five PSG players, including Dembélé, were named in the Ballon d’Or “Top 10.”
Men’s Ballon d’Or top ten:
1. Ousmane Dembélé (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
2. Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
3. Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
4. Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool)
5. Raphinha (Brazil, Barcelona)
6. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain)
7. Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid)
8. Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea)
9. Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
10. Nuno Mendes (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
All the award winners:
Men’s Ballon d’Or: Ousmane Dembélé (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Ballon d’Or: Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)
Men’s Kopa Trophy: Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Women’s Kopa Trophy: Vicky López (Spain, Barcelona)
Men’s Yashin Trophy: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Yashin Trophy: Hannah Hampton (England, Chelsea)
Men’s Gerd Müller Trophy: Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden, Sporting CP/Arsenal)
Women’s Gerd Müller Trophy: Ewa Pajor (Poland, Barcelona)
Men’s Johan Cruyff Trophy: Luis Enrique (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy: Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands, England national team)
Men’s Club of the Year Trophy: Paris Saint-Germain (France)
Women’s Club of the Year Trophy: Arsenal (England)
Sócrates Award: Fundación Xana (Spain)
