Tearful Dembele beats Yamal to Ballon d’Or, as Bonmati achieves hat-trick

Paris Saint-Germain’s French planetary guardant Ousmane Dembele has been named the men’s Ballon d’Or victor for 2025, with Barcelona’s Spanish planetary Aitana Bonmati claiming the women’s rubric for the 3rd consecutive year.

The brace were awarded the trophies, recognised arsenic the astir prestigious idiosyncratic prizes successful football, astatine the Theatre du Chatelet successful Paris, France, connected Monday.

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Dembele helped PSG to its archetypal Champions League rubric successful May, and saw disconnected beardown contention from Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, who helped the Spanish nine to the La Liga rubric year, instantly disconnected the backmost of his starring relation for Spain successful their Euro 2025 triumph.

There was amended quality for chap Barca guardant Bonmati, however, arsenic she became the 3rd person, down erstwhile French planetary Michel Platini and Argentina fable Lionel Messi, to assertion a hat-trick of titles.

Dembele succeeded Manchester City midfielder Rodri to go the sixth Frenchman to triumph it aft Raymond Kopa, Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema.

Bonmati won up of her Spain teammate Mariona Caldentey.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele holds aloft the Ballon d’Or grant [Benoit Tessier/Reuters]

Dembele tops Yamal for nine if not country

The grant capped a singular crook of luck for Dembele, who astatine 1 constituent past play was snubbed by PSG manager Luis Enrique for disciplinary reasons. But erstwhile repositioned arsenic a No 9, helium became a scoring instrumentality and was inspirational successful PSG’s historical Champions League campaign. The French nine besides completed a quadruple past season.

Dembele was praised aft the Champions League last for the mode helium contributed to PSG’s pressing and his quality to support during the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan. He delivered 35 goals and 16 assists successful 53 authoritative matches past season, and was progressive successful 14 goals (eight goals, six assists) successful the Champions League successful 15 appearances.

Dembele received the Ballon d’Or from erstwhile victor Ronaldinho and teared up during his acceptance speech, successful which helium asked his parent to articulation him connected the stage.

“It’s unthinkable to triumph a trophy similar this,” helium said successful French. “I worked for the squad to assistance triumph PSG’s archetypal Champions League. To past beryllium rewarded with an idiosyncratic trophy similar the Ballon d’Or is genuinely exceptional.”

Barca guardant Yamal, who turned 18 successful July, besides helped Barcelona to triumph the Copa del Rey past season, arsenic good arsenic the Spanish apical flight, and to scope the Champions League semifinals. Yamal was fixed the Kopa grant for the champion under-21 subordinate for the 2nd consecutive year.

“I request to support connected moving to triumph different awards successful the future,” Yamal said done a translator.

Dembele was injured, but capable to be the ceremonial successful Paris, portion his squad mislaid astatine Marseille 1-0 successful the French league. He was 1 of 9 PSG players nominated for the men’s award, including goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, guardant Desire Doue, who scored doubly successful the Champions League final, and winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati makes a code aft winning the women’s Ballon d’Or grant [Benoit Tessier/Reuters]

Bonmati rises from Spain decision to assertion 3rd consecutive Ballon d’Or

Although Bonmati mislaid to England successful a punishment shootout successful the Women’s European Championship last past summer, she was named the champion subordinate of the tournament, which she began conscionable days aft being hospitalised for viral meningitis.

Bonmati’s spot footwear successful the shootout was 1 of 2 saved by England’s Hannah Hampton, who was voted the champion women’s goalkeeper.

“Third clip successful a enactment here, and I inactive can’t judge it,” Bonmati said. “I beryllium Barcelona everything. This is the nine of my life.”

She won a home treble with Barcelona and besides reached the Champions League final.

Barcelona has won the past 5 women’s awards, but it was expected that an Englishwoman would triumph for the archetypal time. England won the Euros, and Arsenal took the Women’s Champions League. But with 5 England players among the women’s apical 10 nominees, the highest placed was Alessia Russo astatine third.

Other trophies astatine Ballon d’Or awards

Barcelona guardant Vicky Lopez won the women’s Kopa trophy, and Sarina Wiegman, who led England to European victory, took the Johan Cruyff grant for champion women’s coach. On a large nighttime for PSG, Luis Enrique won successful the men’s category.

PSG was voted the champion men’s club, and Donnarumma received the Lev Yashin grant for champion goalkeeper. Donnarumma, whose shot-stopping successful the knockout stages proved important to PSG’s success, near for Manchester City during the offseason. Hampton was crowned the champion women’s goalkeeper.

The men’s and women’s Gerd Müller trophies for the apical scorers went to Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor and Viktor Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal this summertime from Sporting Portugal aft a prolific season.