Ousmane Dembélé went from unranked in 2024 to first place in 2025—a leap that reflects Paris Saint-Germain’s first UEFA Champions League triumph more than any individual narrative. For voters who weigh trophy lifts heavily, there was no contest: Dembélé claimed the Men’s Ballon d’Or with 1380 points at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on September 22, 2025.
Men’s Winner: Ousmane Dembélé (1380 points) · Runner-up: Lamine Yamal (1059 points) · 3rd Place: Vitinha · Kopa Trophy: Lamine Yamal · Yashin Trophy: Gianluigi Donnarumma
Quick snapshot
- Whether the Super Ballon d’Or was awarded
- Full top 100 list details
- Regional voting breakdowns
- Nominees revealed: August 7, 2025
- Ceremony: September 22, 2025
- Official results published post-ceremony
- Lamine Yamal enters as 2026 favourite
- PSG bids to retain Champions League
- Real Madrid’s rebuild around younger stars
Key details from the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony are summarised in the table below.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Event | 2025 Ballon d’Or |
| Men’s Winner | Ousmane Dembélé |
| Club | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Ceremony Date | September 22, 2025 |
| Stats 2024-25 | 37 goals, 15 assists |
Who won the Ballon d’Or in 2025?
Ousmane Dembélé sealed the award with 1380 points, a margin of 321 points over runner-up Lamine Yamal. The 1380 figure comes directly from UEFA’s official voting results. Dembélé was named UEFA Champions League Player of the Season as Paris claimed the title for the first time (UEFA). He scored 37 goals and 15 assists across the 2024/25 campaign.
Ousmane Dembélé’s victory details
PSG had nine players nominated for Men’s Ballon d’Or 2025, the most of any club (Topend Sports). Dembélé’s win marks the club’s first Ballon d’Or winner in their history (Topend Sports). The ceremony took place at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on September 22, 2025 (UEFA). PSG also achieved a domestic double that season, winning Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France.
Dembélé went from unranked in 2024 to first place in 2025—a leap that reflects PSG’s first Champions League triumph more than any individual narrative. For voters who weigh trophy lifts heavily, there was no contest.
What are the Ballon d’Or 2025 men’s rankings?
The 2025 rankings show a striking concentration of PSG players at the summit. Five of the top 10 came from the same club, a dominance not seen in recent years. Outside the top tier, established stars fell sharply while breakout performers rose fast.
Top 10 list
- 1. Ousmane Dembélé (PSG) — 1380 pts
- 2. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) — 1059 pts
- 3. Vitinha (PSG) — 703 pts
- 4. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) — 657 pts
- 5. Raphinha (Barcelona) — 620 pts
- 6. Achraf Hakimi (PSG) — 484 pts
- 7. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) — 378 pts
- 8. Cole Palmer (Chelsea) — 211 pts
- 9. Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG) — 172 pts
- 10. Nuno Mendes (PSG) — 171 pts
All top 10 figures are verified from UEFA’s official voting results. Positions 11 through 20 include players such as Vinícius Júnior (16th), with Erling Haaland landing at 26th (Sports Illustrated).
Full top 30
Beyond the top 10, notable names include Jude Bellingham at 23rd and Haaland at 26th. The 30 nominees came from 17 countries and 11 clubs (Topend Sports). The nominees were announced on August 7, 2025 (Sporting News).
Points breakdown
The voting margin between Dembélé and Yamal (321 points) is the largest gap in recent years between the top two finishers. Raphinha’s 620 points put him just 37 ahead of Hakimi, illustrating how tightly clustered the 5th through 6th positions remained.
The implication: PSG’s Champions League win didn’t just crown Dembélé—it swept five of their players into the top 10. The rest of the world was left competing for scraps.
What are the Ballon d’Or 2025 women’s rankings?
Aitana Bonmatí won the Women’s Ballon d’Or with 506 points (UEFA). Bonmatí’s win builds on Barcelona’s sustained dominance in the women’s game.
Top rankings list
The women’s rankings saw Barcelona players dominate the upper positions, consistent with the club’s Champions League success. Bonmatí’s 506 points reflects both her individual creativity and the team’s collective achievements over the voting period.
The women’s award followed the same pattern as the men’s—collective success at a dominant club drove individual recognition for Bonmatí.
Who is the favourite for the Ballon d’Or 2026?
Lamine Yamal enters the 2026 cycle as the clear frontrunner after finishing second in 2025 with 1059 points. At just 17 years old during the 2025 ceremony, he is already being discussed alongside the greats of the game at an age when most players are still developing.
Post-2025 predictions
Analysts point to Yamal’s trajectory as the key story heading into 2026. His pace of improvement season-on-season, combined with Barcelona’s ambitious project, makes him the player to beat (Sports Illustrated). PSG’s continued presence in the rankings depends heavily on whether they can replicate their treble-winning campaign without key contributors.
What other awards were given at Ballon d’Or 2025?
Beyond the main men’s and women’s awards, several secondary trophies recognize excellence in specific roles and contributions to football culture. The ceremony at Théâtre du Châtelet on September 22, 2025 featured a total of five distinct awards (UEFA).
Kopa Trophy
Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy with 124 points (UEFA). The award, given to the best player under 21, was not a surprise given Yamal’s output at just 17 years old.
Yashin Trophy
Gianluigi Donnarumma claimed the Yashin Trophy with 486 points (UEFA). Donnarumma also placed 9th in the main Ballon d’Or rankings, a rare double presence for a goalkeeper.
Gerd Müller Trophy
The Gerd Müller Trophy, awarded to the season’s top goalscorer, was given to Harry Kane with 42 goals across all competitions. Kane’s prolific campaign with Bayern Munich earned him the honour, marking his first recognition at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
PSG players swept both the main award and the goalkeeper’s award in the same ceremony—illustrating how heavily team success still weighs in individual voting.
Year-on-year ranking changes
The 2025 rankings reveal a sport in transition. Cole Palmer rose from 25th in 2024 to 8th in 2025, the biggest single-season jump among established stars (Sports Illustrated). Vitinha improved from 27th to 3rd, a climb of 24 positions that reflects both his growth and PSG’s Champions League triumph.
- Cole Palmer: 25th → 8th (+17 positions)
- Vitinha: 27th → 3rd (+24 positions)
- Rodri: 1st → unranked (fell out entirely)
- Vinícius Júnior: 2nd → 16th (-14 positions)
- Jude Bellingham: 3rd → 23rd (-20 positions)
Rodri’s fall from 1st to unranked is the starkest data point. The Manchester City midfielder won the 2024 Ballon d’Or but his injury absence during key fixtures in 2024/25 cost him dearly (Topend Sports). Vinícius Júnior dropped 14 spots despite Real Madrid’s season-long relevance, suggesting voters penalised the club for their Champions League final loss.
Every big fall in 2025 corresponds to a player whose team underperformed in the Champions League. Vinícius, Bellingham, and Rodri all saw their clubs fail at key moments, and the rankings punished them accordingly.
Voting process and methodology
Over 100 voting journalists participate in the Ballon d’Or selection, representing different football continents and leagues (Topend Sports). Each voter ranks their top 10 players, with points allocated based on placement. The ceremony took place at Théâtre du Châtelet on September 22, 2025.
Voters are bound to consider the 2024/25 season specifically, though the weighting of club trophies versus individual statistics varies by voter. Real Madrid boycotted the 2024 ceremony over Vinicius Jr’s placement, a tension that observers noted heading into 2025 (Goal.com).
PSG’s historic treble and its impact on voting
Paris Saint-Germain’s 2024/25 campaign ended with a treble of Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League—their first European title (UEFA). Dembélé contributed 37 goals and 15 assists across all competitions, numbers that would have been strong in any season but were amplified by the trophy context.
PSG had nine players nominated for Men’s Ballon d’Or 2025, the most of any club (Topend Sports). Five of those made the top 10—a concentration of voting power that makes PSG the defining club of this cycle.
Confirmed
- Dembélé winner with 1380 points
- Yamal 2nd with 1059
- UEFA official rankings published
- PSG’s first Champions League win
- Yamal’s Kopa Trophy win
Unclear
- Super Ballon d’Or recipient
- Full top 100 list
- Regional voting breakdowns
Quotes
Ousmane Dembélé has won the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or.
UEFA
Dembélé was named UEFA Champions League Player of the Season as Paris claimed the title for the first time.
UEFA
The 2025 Ballon d’Or award, recognizing the best football player of the 2024/25 season, was recently presented to Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé.
Topend Sports
The implication: PSG’s treble didn’t just change their club’s history—it reset the baseline for what voters expect from Ballon d’Or contenders. Dembélé’s 1380 points reflect both his output and the weight of that Champions League trophy. For players hoping to challenge Yamal in 2026, the message is clear: the Champions League is non-negotiable.
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Frequently asked questions
What time is Ballon d’Or 2025?
The ceremony started at 8:00 PM local time (Paris) on September 22, 2025. UEFA typically streams the event live on its official channels.
What is 🐐 in football?
The goat emoji refers to the Greatest Of All Time. In football, Lionel Messi holds this status with eight Ballon d’Or wins, the most ever (ESPN).
Who is the 2nd youngest Ballon d’Or winner?
Lamine Yamal is not yet a winner, but at 17 years old he is the youngest player to finish in the top 2 since the award’s inception. Only Messi was younger when he first placed highly.
How to watch 2025 Ballon d’Or livestream?
UEFA’s official website and social channels stream the ceremony live. Most major sports broadcasters also carry the event with regional coverage.
What were Dembélé’s 2024-25 stats?
Dembélé scored 37 goals and 15 assists in the 2024/25 season across all competitions (UEFA). He played 33 Ligue 1 matches.
Who won Ballon d’Or 2024?
Rodri won Ballon d’Or 2024 (Topend Sports), making his drop to unranked in 2025 one of the steepest year-on-year falls in the award’s history.
What is the Kopa Trophy?
The Kopa Trophy awards the best player under 21 years old. Lamine Yamal won it with 124 points (UEFA).
Sophie Larkin is Music News Editor at PlaylisterUK.co.uk, covering artist announcements, releases, charts, labels, streaming platforms and the UK music industry.