On a night when PSG were defeated 1-0 by Olympique Marseille in a rescheduled Ligue One clash, French forward Ousmane Dembele was very emotional after receiving the first Ballon d’Or award of his career at the 2025 ceremony held in Paris on Monday night.
The PSG attacker claimed the prestigious award ahead of Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who finished second and teammate Vitinha, who finished in third place.
Dembele, 28, inspired the French club to a historic treble-winning campaign, including a first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy in May.
The former Barcelona winger netted 35 times and contributed 16 assists in all competitions, as Les Parisiens claimed a clean sweep of France’s domestic title, while they also got to the final of the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Speaking after he was named as the winner, Dembele acknowledged the impact of former teammate Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta in shaping his remarkable career.
“Thank you to all the clubs I’ve played for: Stade Rennes, Borussia Dortmund, and the club I always dreamed of playing for, Barcelona,” Dembele said.
“I learned so much there, playing alongside players like (Lionel) Messi and (Andres) Iniesta. It was a great learning experience. I am so happy.
“When I see the list of legends who have won this award…I worked hard for the team to win the Champions League, Ligue 1… to win this trophy is incredible. I am very happy”, he continued.
The Frenchman became only the second PSG player to win the award after Lionel Messi’s win in 2021 and the sixth French player to win the award, placing him in great company.
Dembele also received honors as Ligue One Player of the Season, UEFA Champions League Player of the Season and earned a spot in both competitions’ team of the season.
He finished as joint-top scorer in the league with 21 goals alongside Mason Greenwood and succeeds Manchester City’s Rodri, who claimed the 2024 award.
“I don’t have many words. Look, it’s not easy. It is one of the best things I have accomplished in my career. Winning this trophy from Ronaldinho [who presented it], a legend of football, is amazing”, the 28-year-old continued.
“To all the team and the club, it’s really an incredible family. You have been amazing since the first day. The president, since the first contact, he has been exceptional with me.
“I want to also thank all the staff at PSG, my coach Luis Enrique has been amazing with me and has been the most important of my career.
“My team-mates have been amazing in 2024 and 2025, they have been with me in the bad moments. It is not an individual trophy, it is for us all to win this”, Dembele concluded.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
