Ballon d'Or

Barcelona legend Xavi has explained why Lamine Yamal was beaten to the 2025 Ballon d’Or by Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele. One exciting forward that used to grace the books at Camp Nou pipped one that is starring in the present to the title of best player on the planet. Dembele fended off the challenge of teenage wonderkid Yamal to collect the first Golden Ball of his career.

Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele bizarrely compared his achievement to a goal he scored against Tottenham for Barcelona back in 2018. The Paris Saint-Germain star was given the honour of being named the world's best player throughout last season and he feels his drive to claim the trophy resembles a particular goal from seven years ago.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele was confirmed as the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner earlier this week and final voting figures revealed he finished more than 300 points clear of Barcelona's teenage superstar Lamine Yamal. The Frenchman's stellar campaign, which included a historic quadruple, made him only PSG's second ever recipient of the prestigious prize.

Another Frenchman could lift the Ballon d'Or by following the Ousmane Dembele blueprint. Indeed, according to Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus, Michael Olise has the potential to become the first Ballon d'Or winner from Die Roten after 45 years. The 23-year-old has been exceptional since arriving from Crystal Palace in 2024 and is reportedly set to be offered a new deal.

Hansi Flick admitted Ousmane Dembele “deserved” the Ballon d’Or after the Paris Saint-Germain forward’s spectacular season, while insisting Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has taken finishing second in his stride. Flick revealed Yamal is "motivated" to win the prize in the near future and ready to respond with performances as Barca prepare for their upcoming fixtures.

Vitinha expressed his happiness at achieving a third-placed finish in the Ballon d'Or rankings and extended his congratulations to Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Ousmane Dembele, who pipped Barcelona rival Lamine Yamal to lift the prestigious award. Vitinha was one of the best midfielders in the world last season and achieved tremendous success with both club and country.

Lamine Yamal won his second consecutive Kopa Trophy on Monday night, while at the same time finishing as runner up in the men's Ballon d'Or vote to Ousmane Dembele. This is not normal, of course. The kid is still only 18, which makes us think that we're witnessing the dawning of a new era of domination by a single player.

Former France captain Olivier Giroud has explained the key behind Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or success after admitting he never imagined his former France teammate would one day win the award. The Paris Saint-Germain forward capped off a remarkable season with 35 goals and a Champions League win, becoming the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner on Monday night.

La Liga president Javier Tebas believes that Lamine Yamal only missed out on the 2025 Ballon d'Or because of his age. The Barcelona superstar was pipped to the post by Paris Saint-Germain ace Ousmane Dembele, but Tebas believes it is only a matter of time before the teenager picks up the prize as the world's best footballer.

Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or triumph has attracted many deliberations, with Serge Gnabry admitting he feels “a little bit vindicated” after previously declaring the Paris Saint-Germain star was “much better” than Kylian Mbappe. The Bayern Munich winger praised Dembele’s rare two-footed ability, while also acknowledging the Real Madrid forward's world-class pedigree.

Real Madrid wonderkid Franco Mastantuono congratulated his Clasico rival and Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal for finishing second in the 2025 Ballon d'Or rankings. The young Argentine was asked about being compared to Yamal after the former River Plate sensation scored his first goal for Los Blancos in Tuesday's 4-1 win over newly-promoted Levante.

Sunderland congratulated Ousmane Dembele on his Ballon d'Or success due to a unique connection with the Paris Saint-Germain superstar. The winger was crowned the world's best footballer at a glitzy awards ceremony on Monday night and the Black Cats took to Instagram to pay tribute to a player who has never kicked a ball for them.

Marseille's summer signing Nayef Aguerd reflected on his team's "frankly incredible" 1-0 win over rivals Paris Saint-Germain in the highly anticipated 'Le Classique' on Monday. The Moroccan centre-back revealed the key reasons that helped Les Olympiens register a remarkable victory over the reigning Ligue 1 holders, who were without the services of several stars.

Rennes went all out to honour Ousmane Dembele after his Ballon d'Or triumph, taking out a full-page advert in L'Equipe and running tributes across social media. The Paris Saint-Germain forward fired his side to a historic treble last season and became the club’s first Ballon d’Or winner, while his boyhood team proudly reminded the world of their role in shaping his journey.

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has issued a mature statement after losing out to Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele in the Ballon d'Or race on Monday. The teenage attacker had a stellar 2024-25 campaign with Barca, but Dembele was ultimately crowned the best player on the planet after leading PSG to the treble.

Vinicius Jr’s Ballon d’Or nightmare worsened as Betis mocked the Real Madrid winger after he finished 16th in the 2025 rankings. The Brazilian had once promised to win the award “ten times if needed”, but those words were brutally echoed back at him online. Now, with Xabi Alonso limiting his role, pressure is mounting on the highly-rated attacker.

Former Real Madrid footballer Alvaro Benito provided his thoughts on the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony, which saw Ousmane Dembele being crowned as the best player in the world, ahead of rival Lamine Yamal. While Benito admitted that the PSG forward deserved the award, he was unhappy about where Pedri finished in the rankings and was brutally critical of the journalists who vote.

Lionel Messi is in line for more Ballon d’Or recognition after seeing Inter Miami nominated for a new award. Paris Saint-Germain superstar Ousmane Dembele walked away with the Golden Ball in 2025, with the one-time Barcelona team-mate of Argentine icon Messi being named the best player on the planet. Several other prestigious prizes have been handed out.

Neymar has taken a clear swipe at France Football while raging over Raphinha's final Ballon d'Or position. The Brazil and Barcelona winger finished fifth in the final vote, while Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele scooped the main prize ahead of second placed Lamine Yamal. Raphinha played a key role for Barca alongside Yamal as they won three domestic titles last season.

Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal showed his lighter side after the Ballon d’Or gala by buying midnight hamburgers for team-mates and friends, while president Joan Laporta admitted he even tried pressing Ronaldinho and Andres Iniesta to reveal the winner. Yamal may have fallen short, but his Kopa Trophy joy kept spirits high as Ousmane Dembele took home the big prize instead.

Ousmane Dembele has been paid a special tribute by adidas in the wake of his Ballon d’Or triumph, with a nod being offered to the Paris Saint-Germain star’s Steph Curry-inspired goal celebration. The France international, who is clearly a big fan of NBA icons, has been named the best player on the planet in 2025 - allowing a place in the history books to be secured.

Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele hailed "wonderful" Barcelona rival Lamine Yamal after beating him to the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Dembele scooped the award ahead of Yamal after leading PSG to three trophies in 2024-25, including their maiden Champions League title.

Lamine Yamal may have fallen short in the Ballon d’Or race against Ousmane Dembele, but Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists the setback will only fuel his hunger to claim the award in future. The teenager made history with back-to-back Kopa Trophies, while Aitana Bonmati continued her dominance by lifting a third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or.

France Football's editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia has confirmed that Ousmane Dembele beat Lamine Yamal to the 2025 Ballon d'Or by a "wide margin". Dembele and Yamal were the last men standing among the 30 nominees but it was the Paris Saint-Germain star who ultimately claimed the award after a historic 2024-25 season.

Lionel Messi sent a special message to ex-Barcelona team-mate Ousmane Dembele to congratulate him on winning the Ballon d'Or this year. Dembele edged out Blaugrana sensation Lamine Yamal to grab the Golden Ball. The French winger experienced the best season of his career in the 2024-25 campaign as he inspired Paris Saint-Germain to a historic treble.

Ousmane Dembele was presented with the Ballon d'Or for 2025 at a typically lavish ceremony in Paris on Monday night, capping a remarkable redemption at Paris Saint-Germain for a player regarded by Barcelona fans as one of the worst signings in the club's history.

Lamine Yamal’s father has branded Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or win the “greatest moral harm” in football, with the Paris Saint-Germain forward walking away with a prestigious Golden Ball in 2025. Barcelona wonderkid Yamal had to settle for a runner-up finish despite those in Catalunya being of the opinion that the 18-year-old is undoubtedly “the best player in the world”.

Ousmane Dembele has joined the likes of Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane in an elite trophy club after being named the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner. The Paris Saint-Germain forward was crowned the best player on the planet at a glitzy ceremony in the French capital, with the France international fending off competition from Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal.

Arsenal star Viktor Gyokeres has caused a stir after landing the Gerd Muller award at the prestigious Ballon d'Or ceremony, where he was crowned Europe's best striker. Many have been left wondering how he could land such an illustrious title and complained online, but Gyokeres has pipped all the challengers by virtue of his goals tally for previous club Sporting Lisbon and for Sweden.