While Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí made history by winning the women’s Ballon d’Or for a third consecutive year, France’s Ousmane Dembélé won the men’s award for the first time after helping Paris Saint-Germain claim its first UEFA Champions League title.
The Ballon d’Or awards, given out by France Football magazine to the best soccer players of the year, were presented on Monday, Sept. 22 in Paris.
Dembélé was a major catalyst for a Paris Saint-Germain squad that won a quadruple during the 2024-25 season. He scored 35 goals in all competitions for PSG, which won the won the French league, the French Cup, the French Super Cup and Champions League in a historic campaign. Dembélé is the sixth French men’s player to win the Ballon d’Or, joining Raymond Kopa (1958), Michel Platini (1983-85), Jean-Pierre Papin (1991), Zinedine Zidane (1998) and Karim Benzema (2022).
Bonmatí is the first women’s player to win three Ballon d’Or awards and do so in consecutive years. The Spanish midfielder is also the first player to win three straight Ballon d’Or awards since Lionel Messi did so in 2009-2021. Michel Platini is the only other player to win three in a row.
Bonmatí helped Barcelona win the domestic treble, and led Spain to the final of the 2025 Women’s European Championship, where Spain was defeated by England. Despite the setback in the final, Bonmatí was named the tournament’s best player.
2025 Ballon d’Or award winners
Men’s Ballon d’Or — Ousmane Dembélé (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Ballon d’Or — Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)
Men’s Kopa Trophy (best U21 player) — Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Women’s Kopa Trophy (best U21 player) — Vicky López (Spain, Barcelona)
Men’s Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper) — Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper) — Hannah Hampton (England, Chelsea)
Men’s Gerd Müller Trophy (best striker) — Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden, Sporting CP/Arsenal)
Women’s Gerd Müller Trophy (best striker) — Ewa Pajor (Poland, Barcelona)
Men’s Johan Cruyff Trophy (best manager) — Luis Enrique (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy (best manager) — Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands, England national team)
Men’s Club of the Year — Paris Saint-Germain (France)
Women’s Club of the Year — Arsenal (England)
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