Ballon d’Or 2025: Dembele wins over Lamine Yamal, Raphinha

France international Ousmane Dembele has won the 2025 Ballon d’Or after an impressive 2024/25 season.

Dembele was named the best player in the world over Lamine Yamal, Vitinha, and Mohammed Salah at the Théâtre du Châtele in Paris on Monday night.

The 28-year-old winger claimed the Golden Ball award after a sensational campaign that powered Paris Saint-Germain to a historic treble.

Once labelled “injury-prone,” the French winger silenced critics with 21 league goals, a Coupe de France triumph, and most crucially, PSG’s first-ever UEFA Champions League title.

He contributed two assists in the 5–0 final win over Inter Milan, ending the season with 14 UCL goal involvements. His efficiency, with a goal every 73 minutes in Ligue 1, was unmatched across Europe.

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Barcelona duo Yamal and Raphinha both missed out on the coveted Golden Ball despite leading the La Liga side to a domestic treble as the two decisive players. Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League semi-finals, and that did not quite help their chances.

At just 18, Yamal took the football world by storm last season. The La Masia graduate played a central role in Barcelona’s domestic success, registering 9 goals and 13 assists in La Liga while dazzling on the European stage.

Brazilian winger Raphinha was just as influential in Barcelona’s dominance. He scored 18 goals and provided 9 assists in La Liga, while topping both the goals and assists charts in the Champions League with 21 total contributions, which is a feat never achieved.

Yamal was runner-up with Raphinha finishing in fifth position.

Liverpool star Salah came fourth while Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe was named in sixth position.

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• 2024 - Rodri

• 2023 - Lionel Messi

• 2022 - Karim Benzema

• 2021 - Lionel Messi

• 2019 - Lionel Messi

• 2018 - Luka Modric

• 2017 - Cristiano Ronaldo

• 2016 - Cristiano Ronaldo

• 2015 - Lionel Messi

• 2014 - Cristiano Ronaldo