By Boluwatife Kehinde
Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembélé etched his name into football history on Monday night, winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or at a glittering ceremony in Paris.
The French forward delivered a sensational 2024/25 campaign, scoring 35 goals and providing 16 assists across all competitions.
His brilliance inspired PSG to a historic treble — their long-awaited UEFA Champions League triumph, the Ligue 1 crown, and the Coupe de France.
READ ALSO: Ballon d’Or 2025: Ronaldinho set to crown either Dembélé or Yamal in Paris
Dembélé’s crowning moment came after years of injuries and setbacks that once threatened his career. At 28, he finally reached the pinnacle, rewarded not only for his consistency but also for driving PSG’s golden year.
He edged out Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, who finished second, Vitinha of PSG finished third, and Liverpool icon Mohamed Salah, who placed fourth. Barcelona’s Raphinha claimed fifth, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi took sixth, while Kylian Mbappé surprisingly settled for seventh.
Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer secured eighth, PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma ninth, and Nuno Mendes rounded out the top 10.
The rankings already stirred fierce debate, with global superstars Erling Haaland, Vinícius Jr., Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane all finishing outside the top 10. Haaland, last season’s frontrunner, dropped to 26th, while Vinícius finished 16th, Lewandowski 17th, and Kane 13th.
PSG dominated the list with multiple representatives beyond the podium. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia finished 12th, Désiré Doué impressed in 14th, João Neves placed 19th, and Fabián Ruiz came in 24th. Barcelona also held firm, with Pedri narrowly missing the elite bracket in 11th.
READ ALSO: Nnadozie describes historic Ballon d’Or nomination as ‘miracle’
Elsewhere, Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyökeres earned 15th, Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martínez claimed 20th, Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy finished 21st, while Liverpool duo Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz ranked 22nd and 29th, respectively. Veteran leaders Declan Rice (27th) and Virgil van Dijk (28th) also made the cut.
For Dembélé, this award marked not just personal glory but also a symbol of PSG’s rising global dominance. With team and individual honours secured, Paris now stood firmly at football’s summit.
