Ballon d’Or 2025: Ousmane Dembele Beats Lamine Yamal, Congratulations Pour In
- Ousmane Dembélé etched his name in history as the sixth Frenchman to claim the Ballon d’Or, beating Lamine Yamal to the prize
- His PSG teammate Vitinha secured third place, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah ranked fourth, while Barcelona’s Raphinha completed the top five
- Fans flooded social media with congratulatory messages for the 28-year-old forward after his career-defining triumph
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Paris came alive on Monday night as Ousmane Dembélé was named the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, capping off a season that will be remembered as one of the greatest of his career.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward edged Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal to claim the game’s most prestigious individual prize for the very first time.
Source: Getty Images
Dembele beats Yamal to win 2025 Ballon d'Or, fans react
Dembélé’s numbers told the story of his brilliance. The 28-year-old netted 35 goals and provided 14 assists in 53 matches as PSG stormed to a historic treble, lifting Ligue 1, the French Cup, and their long-awaited first Champions League.
According to the BBC, he shared the Ligue 1 golden boot with 21 goals and was named both the French league’s best player and UEFA Champions League player of the year.
Source: Twitter
Ousmane even led PSG to the FIFA Club World Cup final, only falling short against Chelsea in New Jersey.
The Frenchman’s triumph was made all the more symbolic because he attended the Paris ceremony while sidelined with an injury, forcing him to miss PSG’s rescheduled defeat to Marseille on the same evening.
Still, the night belonged to him, and supporters wasted no time flooding social media with messages of praise.
@MadridPreeti joked:
“Dembele saved the footballing world, still can't believe Yamal got 2nd with 9 goals.”
@PED_CREATIVE declared:
“This is massive. Can't say less.”
@Deynu_xx teased:
“Congratulations, Dembele. Finally Yamal can go back to High school.”
@April_Zoe_AZ shared:
“Mom must be proud 🥰”
@TheOnlyTee_5 added:
“He deserves it.”
@CayXBT summed up the mood:
“What an incredible achievement! Dembélé truly deserves it for his talent and hard work. Exciting times ahead!”
Dembélé and Yamal fittingly finished first and second in the Ballon d’Or rankings, ahead of PSG’s Vitinha, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, and Barcelona’s Raphinha.
Achraf Hakimi, Kylian Mbappé, Cole Palmer, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Nuno Mendes rounded out the top 10.
Check out the 2025 Ballon d'Or Award ranking:
While Yamal missed out on the Golden Ball, the 18-year-old sensation did not leave empty-handed.
He was awarded the Kopa Trophy for the second consecutive year, confirming his place as the most exciting young player in world football, according to Transfermarkt.
Yamal's immediate reaction after Dembélé's victory surfaces
In a related story, YEN.com.gh reported on how Lamine Yamal’s immediate response to missing out on the 2025 Ballon d’Or drew widespread attention.
Footage circulating online captured the teenager smiling, applauding Dembélé, and exchanging a warm embrace with the Frenchman as chants echoed through the Théâtre du Châtelet.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
