The Theatre du Chatelet in central Paris was buzzing with anticipation on September 22, 2025, as football’s elite gathered for the annual Ballon d’Or ceremony. With the award’s storied history dating back to 1956, the glittering Parisian venue was set to witness another chapter in the saga of football’s most coveted individual accolade. This year’s event, however, carried a sense of transition—a passing of the torch from the era of Messi and Ronaldo to a new generation of global stars.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele, the electric French forward, emerged as the headline act, beating out Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to claim the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Dembele’s journey to the top was nothing short of remarkable. Once a winger with flashes of brilliance and frustrating inconsistency, the 28-year-old reinvented himself as PSG’s focal point, stepping up in the absence of former captain Kylian Mbappe. The result? A staggering 35 goals in the 2024-25 campaign, a domestic clean sweep for PSG, and, most memorably, a dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
Dembele’s season was a masterclass in resilience and reinvention. "It is nice after what was a wonderful season with PSG," Dembele told Le Monde in the buildup to the ceremony. "I think it's true that I am one of the favorites, but we will see what happens," he added, describing the Ballon d'Or as "the individual Holy Grail." On Monday night, his patience and perseverance paid off. The legendary Ronaldinho, himself a Ballon d’Or winner and former Barcelona star, had the honor of presenting the golden trophy to Dembele, who kissed the ball in front of a roaring Parisian crowd.
For PSG, the Ballon d’Or was just one of many prizes on a night that celebrated their historic campaign. Nine members of the PSG squad that steamrolled Inter Milan in the Champions League final were among the 30 male nominees—a testament to the team’s dominance. The club also took home the Men’s Club of the Year Trophy, capping a season in which they won Ligue 1, the French Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Trophée des Champions. PSG’s Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, now with Manchester City, was recognized with the Yashin Trophy for best male goalkeeper, while head coach Luis Enrique received the Johan Cruyff Trophy for best male coach.
Yet, the night wasn’t solely about PSG’s triumphs. The Ballon d’Or’s new generation was on full display. Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s 18-year-old prodigy, may have finished runner-up for the men’s award, but he didn’t leave empty-handed. Yamal clinched the Kopa Trophy, recognizing the best under-21 player in the world after a breakout season in which he scored 18 goals and provided 25 assists in 55 appearances. He was instrumental in Barcelona’s La Liga and Copa del Rey triumphs, and his performances for Spain at the European Championship only added to his burgeoning reputation. "I don't dream of winning one Ballon d'Or, I dream of winning lots," Yamal told Spanish journalist Jose Ramon de la Morena recently—a statement that now feels more like a warning to his competitors than mere ambition.
In the women’s game, history was made. Spanish and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati won her third consecutive Ballon d’Or, solidifying her place among football’s all-time greats. At 27, Bonmati’s resume is already glittering: player of the tournament at the UEFA Women’s Euro in July 2025, a World Cup winner, and a three-time Champions League winner. Despite Barcelona’s loss to Arsenal in the Women’s Champions League final and Spain’s heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to England in the Euro final, Bonmati’s consistent excellence was impossible to overlook. She joined an elite club as a three-time Ballon d’Or winner, her legacy growing with each passing season.
"Aitana Bonmati is an exceptional talent," noted a UEFA official, echoing the sentiment of many in the football community. The women’s award field was wide open this year, but Bonmati’s combination of club and international success tipped the scales. Her Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas, herself a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, was among the nominees, as was England’s Lucy Bronze and Arsenal’s Ewa Pajor—the latter recognized as the best female striker with the Gerd Muller Trophy.
The night also celebrated the game’s rising stars and unsung heroes. Barcelona’s Vicky Lopez, just 19, won the women’s under-21 Kopa Trophy. England’s Hannah Hampton was named best women’s goalkeeper, while Arsenal claimed the Women’s Club of the Year Trophy after their Champions League triumph. The Johan Cruyff Trophy for best female coach went to Sarina Wiegman, who guided England’s Lionesses to another European crown.
There were moments of reflection, too. Tributes were paid to Scottish legend Denis Law, the only Scot to win the Ballon d’Or, who passed away in January, and to former Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, remembered fondly after his untimely death in July. The Socrates Award, honoring social initiatives in football, was presented to the Xana Foundation, established by PSG boss Luis Enrique in memory of his daughter Xana, who lost her battle with cancer in 2019. The foundation’s work supporting children and young people facing life-threatening illnesses drew heartfelt applause from the audience.
The Ballon d’Or voting system, as ever, was a topic of interest. For the men’s award, 100 journalists from FIFA’s top-ranked countries submitted their top ten picks from a shortlist of 30, with points assigned for each position. The women’s award followed a similar process, with votes from journalists in the top 50 nations. Since 2022, the focus has shifted to performances over a single season, making each campaign’s achievements even more critical.
Notably absent from the men’s nominees this year was Manchester City’s Rodri, last year’s winner, whose season was derailed by injury. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, fresh off a spectacular Premier League-winning season, was among the nominees, as were Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior. The women’s shortlist featured a who’s-who of the global game, from Bonmati and Putellas to Lucy Bronze and Alexia Russo.
As the lights dimmed on the Theatre du Chatelet, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony left fans with a sense of renewal. Ousmane Dembele’s triumph signaled a new era for PSG and French football, while Aitana Bonmati’s continued dominance underscored Spain’s golden generation. With young stars like Lamine Yamal and Vicky Lopez already on the rise, the stage is set for more drama, dazzling skill, and unforgettable moments in the seasons to come.
