Ousmane Dembélé has won the 2025 Ballon d'Or, beating out Lamine Yamal by a mere 321 votes. The final voting tallies revealed that the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward secured 1,380 points, while Barcelona's young star Yamal garnered 1,059.

Dembélé's victory marks a significant moment in his career, especially considering the injury challenges he has faced. This is the first time Dembélé has been nominated and won the prestigious award. Following the announcement, Dembélé expressed his gratitude to his family, teammates, and PSG for their support. He also acknowledged Ronaldinho, who presented him with the trophy, as a football legend.

The breakdown of the voting showed that Dembélé was the top choice for 73 out of 100 journalists who participated in the ballot. Yamal, in contrast, received the highest votes from 11 jury members. According to Vincent Garcia, editor-in-chief at France Football, Dembélé's win was clear-cut, with the Frenchman receiving a majority of votes across all continents.

Despite not winning the Ballon d'Or, Lamine Yamal, who also won the Kopa Trophy for best young player, has been widely recognized for his outstanding potential. At just 18 years old, Yamal has already made a significant impact on the field, and many see him as a future Ballon d'Or contender.

Several factors contributed to Dembélé's win. He played a crucial role in PSG's historic quadruple, including the UEFA Champions League. Individually, Dembélé was named the best player in the Champions League and League 1, and he also emerged as the top scorer in the French league.

The voting gap between Dembélé and Yamal is noteworthy when compared to previous years. In 2024, Rodri's victory over Vinícius Jr. was by a slim margin of 41 points. The significant difference in points this year underscores Dembélé's dominance in the voting process.

The complete list of the top 10 in Ballon d'Or voting: 1. Ousmane Dembélé (France, PSG) – 1,380 points 2. Lamine Yamal (Spain, FC Barcelona) – 1,059 points 3. Vitinha (Portugal, PSG) – 703 points 4. Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool) – 657 points 5. Raphinha (Brazil, FC Barcelona) – 620 points 6. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, PSG) – 484 points 7. Kylian Mbappé (France, PSG) – 378 points 8. Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea) – 211 points 9. Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, PSG) – 172 points 10. Nuno Mendes (Portugal, PSG) – 171 points

In the women's category, Aitana Bonmatí won the Ballon d'Or, albeit with a close finish. She secured 506 points, narrowly beating Mariona Caldentey, who received 478 points.