Ballon d’Or 2025 Winner: Ousmane Dembélé Makes History
Introduction
The Ballon d’Or 2025 has crowned Ousmane Dembélé as the Men’s Ballon d’Or winner, recognising him as the world’s best male footballer of the 2024-25 season. Meanwhile, in the women’s category, Aitana Bonmatí secured the Ballon d’Or Féminin for the third consecutive year. These awards were handed out in a glittering ceremony in Paris, highlighting standout individual and team achievements across global football.
What Caused Dembélé to Win
Champions League triumph
For the first time in the team’s history, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) won the UEFA Champions League thanks in large part to Dembélé. His performances were pivotal in pivotal contests.
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Success at Home
PSG won a domestic double in addition to Europe’s top award, and Dembélé’s contributions—35 goals and 15 assists across all competitions—illustrated his dependability and impact.
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Contestants and Runner-ups
Lamine Yamal, a young Barcelona sensation, won the Kopa Trophy (best young player) and placed second in the men’s division. Vitinha, a PSG colleague, came in third.
Women’s Ballon d’Or: Bonmatí’s Unprecedented Hat-Trick
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Aitana Bonmatí’s Dominance
Bonmatí’s third straight win is historic. She outperformed top players like Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo. Even though Barcelona and Spain missed out on chave finals (Champions League, Euro), her individual contributions—goals, assists, tournament performances—made her stand out. Sky Sports+1 -
New Awards & Recognition
2025 saw the introduction of new women’s awards (Women’s Yashin, Women’s Gerd Müller, Women’s Kopa), recognizing goalkeepers, top scorers, and young talent. Also, equality improvements in award semantics were noted.
Additional Notable Honors & Highlights
Men’s Yashin Trophy: Gianluigi Donnarumma won the accolade for his outstanding goalkeeping.
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Viktor Gyökeres was the winner of the Gerd Müller Trophy (Men) for being the highest scorer for both his club and his country during that time.
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Coach, Club, and Additional Awards:
The Men’s Johan Cruyff Trophy went to Luis Enrique.
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Arsenal won Women’s Club of the Year, while PSG won Men’s Club of the Year.
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The Significance of It
Validation of Peak Form: A player’s exceptional form, consistency, and effect are confirmed when they win the Ballon d’Or. It’s Dembélé’s first Ballon d’Or, solidifying his place at the top.
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Raising the Bar in Women’s Football: Bonmatí’s win underscores the rising standard and recognition in the women’s game. Three in a row is a milestone that no female player has achieved before. Barca Blaugranes+2Sky Sports+2
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Broadening Awards’ Reach: The addition of new categories (young player, goalkeeper, etc.) and more equal recognition shows how the Ballon d’Or is evolving. UEFA.com+1