Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele has been named the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, edging out Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to claim football’s most prestigious individual prize.

The French international received the award on Monday night at a glittering ceremony in Paris, capping off a phenomenal season in which he guided PSG to an unprecedented quadruple — lifting Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the French Super Cup, and most importantly, the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League title under manager Luis Enrique.

Dembele, 28, was the clear frontrunner after a career-best campaign that saw him score 35 goals and register 14 assists across all competitions. His consistency and flair proved decisive as PSG dominated both domestically and in Europe.

Ballon d’Or rankings placed Dembele and Yamal as the top two, followed by PSG midfielder Vitinha in third, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in fourth, and Barcelona winger Raphinha in fifth. The rest of the top 10 featured Achraf Hakimi, Kylian Mbappe, Cole Palmer, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Nuno Mendes.

Overcome with emotion as he collected the trophy from football legend Ronaldinho, Dembele delivered a heartfelt speech:

“What I’m experiencing is exceptional. It’s been an incredible year with Paris Saint-Germain. I’m a little stressed, it’s not easy. It’s exceptional that Ronaldinho is giving me this title. I thank PSG who came looking for me in 2023, its president, the whole team and the whole club. It’s an incredible family. President Nasser is like a dad to me. The staff has been exceptional. Luis Enrique has also been like a dad to me throughout my career, even though it’s not over. Thank you to my teammates. The team won this individual trophy.”