Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmatí were the stars of the night in Paris, crowned as the best male and female footballers of 2025 at the prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony held at the Théâtre du Châtelet on Monday, September 22.
For Dembélé, the night marked the culmination of a historic year with Paris Saint-Germain. The French winger delivered on the grandest stages for both club and country, guiding PSG to an unprecedented continental treble—winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and most notably, the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. His performances in Europe’s elite competition were nothing short of sensational, tallying 8 goals and 6 assists, and earning him the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season award.
Across the calendar year, Dembélé contributed directly to goals in 17 of the 27 matches he featured in for PSG and the French national team, underlining his consistency and impact. His triumph at the Ballon d’Or sees him become the first Frenchman to win the accolade since Karim Benzema in 2022, edging out Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal for the top prize.
On the women’s side, Aitana Bonmatí etched her name further into footballing immortality. The FC Barcelona and Spain midfield maestro secured her third consecutive Ballon d’Or Féminin title, a feat never before achieved in the award’s history. Bonmatí saw off competition from her Barcelona teammate and Spain compatriot Mariona Caldentey to retain her crown.
Her latest triumph is a testament to both her enduring brilliance and her influence in the game. In a year where Barcelona dominated European women’s football and Spain remained a force internationally, Bonmatí once again stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Other notable recognitions on the night included Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres who won the Gerd Müller Trophy for best men’s striker , England’s Hannah Hampton and Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma being named best goalkeepers in the women’s and men’s categories respectively. The Young Player awards went to Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Spain’s rising talent Lopez.
Sarina Wiegman was named Best Women’s Coach for her continued success with England, while PSG’s Luis Enrique took home the men’s equivalent after steering the French giants to a historic season.
Arsenal Women were crowned Club of the Year on the women’s side, while Paris Saint-Germain were named Men’s Club of the Year,fitting recognition for a side that finally conquered Europe under Enrique’s guidance.
