The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris was nothing short of a blockbuster. Under the bright lights of the Théâtre du Châtelet, the world’s best footballers gathered to celebrate the beautiful game’s highest individual honour. And this year’s edition? Packed with surprises, first-time winners, and record-breaking moments.
Let’s unpack everything that went down: who won, who shocked us, and what this means for football going forward.
Ousmane Dembélé Takes the Crown
For years, Ousmane Dembélé has been labelled one of the most gifted players of his generation — but also one of the most frustrating, thanks to injuries and inconsistency. This year, he silenced every doubter. The Frenchman was unstoppable for Paris Saint-Germain, leading them to glory in Ligue 1 and the Champions League.
Big goals in big matches. Match-winning assists. Dribbles that left defenders dizzy. Dembélé was at the heart of it all, and his first-ever Ballon d’Or feels like the reward for years of hard work, perseverance, and finally fulfilling his potential.
And the fans? They went wild. For a player once written off as “injury-prone”, this was the perfect comeback story.
Aitana Bonmatí Makes History
In the women’s category, Aitana Bonmatí did it again and again, and again. This is her third Ballon d’Or in a row, cementing her status as one of the greatest midfielders of all time. Her dominance for Barcelona and Spain has been unmatched, and even though Barcelona fell short in the Women’s Champions League final, her individual brilliance could not be ignored.
Bonmatí now joins an elite club of players who have won three straight Ballons d’Or, a level of consistency that is ridiculously hard to maintain. She’s not just a star; she’s the standard every young player now looks up to.
Young Guns, Big Stage
One of the highlights of the night was watching the rise of the next generation. Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s teenage sensation, scooped up the Kopa Trophy for best young player and also finished second in the men’s Ballon d’Or voting. Just think about that for a moment: a teenager finishing runner-up for the most prestigious individual award in football.
In the women’s category, Vicky López, another Barcelona talent, won the Women’s Kopa Trophy, showing that the future of Spanish football is looking bright on both sides.
Goalkeepers, Coaches and Clubs Get Their Flowers
It wasn’t just about the forwards and midfielders. Gianluigi Donnarumma was crowned the best goalkeeper with the Yashin Trophy, proving once again why PSG dominated not just offensively but defensively all season.
On the women’s side, Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton picked up the goalkeeper award after a stellar season.
Paris Saint-Germain also bagged the Men’s Club of the Year title, while Arsenal Women were named Club of the Year for the women’s game. It was a reminder that football is as much about collective brilliance as individual magic.
And let’s not forget the managers: Luis Enrique took home the Men’s Coach of the Year trophy after masterminding PSG’s successful campaign, while Sarina Wiegman was honoured as Women’s Coach of the Year for continuing to transform England’s women’s team into a powerhouse.
The Numbers That Made the Difference
If you followed Dembélé’s season, you know this win wasn’t a fluke. He delivered when it mattered most, clutch goals in knockout games, double-digit assists, and a consistency that we just haven’t seen from him before.
For Bonmatí, her passing stats, chance creation, and ability to control games from midfield were simply unmatched. She’s become the heartbeat of every team she plays for, and it shows in the trophies and now, the three consecutive Ballon d’Ors.
Surprises and Snubs
Of course, no Ballon d’Or night is complete without debate. Some fans thought other stars, from Mohamed Salah to Erling Haaland, deserved more recognition. But the voters made it clear: trophies and impact in big games still matter most.
The biggest “snub” talk came from those who felt Yamal should have won the men’s award outright. But if this is what he’s doing as a teenager, it feels like only a matter of time before his name is engraved on the trophy.
This year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony felt like the start of a new era. For years, we’ve lived through the Messi-Ronaldo dominance. Now, we’re watching the baton pass. Dembélé’s win signals that football’s top individual award is open territory again, with new names rising to claim it.
In the women’s game, Bonmatí’s era is still very much here, but challengers are coming and that’s great for the sport. The women’s side of the ceremony felt bigger, bolder, and more celebrated than ever before.
The 2025 Ballon d’Or was a night where redemption, dominance, and dreams all collided. Dembélé finally had his crowning moment. Bonmatí reminded the world that greatness can be sustained. Young stars like Yamal showed us that the future is already here.
For football fans everywhere especially those watching from Africa this is a call to action: your moment can come if you deliver when it matters most. The Ballon d’Or doesn’t just celebrate talent; it celebrates the players who make the biggest difference on the biggest stages.
