Dembélé wins the golden ball ahead of Lamine Yamal in the ‘party’ half of the PSG

And the 2025 Golden Ball went to … Ousmane Dembélé. The Théâtre du Châtelet of Paris noticed this Monday the French footballer consecrate himself as the very best on this planet, based on the award that France Soccer journal yearly delivers.

The top of the PSG culminated the very best season of his skilled profession surpassing his principal rival within the vote, Lamine Yamal, with whom the battle was very shut. Dembélé occurs to Spanish Rodri Hernández on the throne.

The winner didn’t know till the top, enduring uncertainty. The gala was marked by the absence of outstanding names of the PSG – as Luis Enrique, Achraf or Vitinha – after the duty to play nearly on the identical time in Marseille. Dembélé, injured, may very well be on the ceremony.

Dembélé 2024/25 season was merely spectacular. The Frenchman achieved 35 targets and 16 assists in 53 video games performed in all competitions, figures that symbolize a formidable qualitative leap in comparison with their earlier seasons.

To place these numbers in perspective, Dembélé had scored solely 28 targets within the 5 mixed earlier seasons.

Within the Champions League, the place the PSG conquered its first European title, Dembélé performed 15 video games scoring eight targets and giving six assists. His efficiency was as outstanding that UEFA selected him as the very best participant within the competitors, thus strengthening his candidacy for the Golden Ball.

The area of the PSG

The PSG dominated the nominations with 9 gamers included within the record of 30 candidates, reflecting the extraordinary collective yr of the Parisian membership that culminated on this particular person recognition for its most star.

It was the primary time since 2003 that neither Leo Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo appeared among the many nominees. This example opened the doorways for a brand new era of gamers: Dembélé represented the expertise and maturity, whereas his principal rival, Lamine Yamal, simply 18 years outdated, symbolized the emergence of younger expertise.

He will have to wait for another year Lamine Yamal, a player called to win the award in the future and was present in Paris. There was no trace of Real Madrid – in male category; Yes in the female, with the presence of Caroline Weir -, which already confirmed to France Football its position taken since last year against a gala, as he considers, with the lost credibility.

Dembélé’s triumph represents an extraordinary story. The 28 -year -old had arrived at the PSG in 2023 from Barcelona with the label of great talent but irregular player.

Much that owes Luis Enrique

In Paris, under the tutelage of Luis Enrique, the French finally found the stability and maturity necessary to exploit his full potential. “I would give the Golden Ball to Dembélé, simply by how he defends. That is humility and I sincerely believe that he deserves to win it, not only for his goals, also for his defense,” his coach said on previous dates.

The consecration of the ‘mosquito’ is closely linked to the collective success of the PSG, which achieved a historical triplet: Ligue 1, Cup of France and Champions League.

The Parisian team became the ninth club of history to achieve this prestigious triplet, and Dembélé was a fundamental piece in each of these achievements.

The conquest of the Champions League was especially significant, since the PSG strongly expired to Inter Milan 5-0 in the final played in the Allianz Arena in Munich.

This triumph not only represented the first European title in the history of the Parisian club, but also positioned Luis Enrique as the second coach in history to win the triplet with two different clubs, matching Pep Guardiola.

‘Lucho’, although he could not be present, was also recognized with the prize for the best coach of the past year.

Dembélé’s victory on the Golden Ball marks not only the highest point of his individual career, but also the consolidation of a new order in world football.

And the battle for the 2026 prize begins already. Will Ousmane repeat? Will Lamine Yamal redeem? Or will it be the year of Mbappé?