DEMBELE AND BONMATÍ CROWNED AT 69th BALLON D'OR CEREMONY

In a night of both familiar faces and historic firsts, the 69th Ballon d'Or ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris saw Ousmane Dembélé of Paris Saint-Germain and Spain's Aitana Bonmatí claim football's most prestigious individual awards.
Dembélé's Stellar Season Secures Men's Ballon d'Or
Ousmane Dembélé was named the winner of the Men's Ballon d'Or, a fitting capstone to a career-defining season with Paris Saint-Germain. The 28-year-old French winger was instrumental in guiding PSG to a historic first-ever UEFA Champions League title, along with a domestic double. His remarkable campaign, which saw him score 35 goals across all competitions, saw him edge out Barcelona's young sensation Lamine Yamal and his PSG teammate Vitinha for the top honor.
An emotional Dembélé, who was part of France's 2018 World Cup-winning squad, thanked his teammates and coach Luis Enrique, describing the latter as "like a father" figure. Dembélé's win marks a new name on the trophy, ending a recent run of dominance by other footballing giants and underlining PSG's ascendance as a European powerhouse.
The top 10 finishers in the Men's Ballon d'Or voting were:
* Ousmane Dembélé (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
* Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
* Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
* Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool)
* Raphinha (Brazil, Barcelona)
* Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain)
* Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid)
* Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea)
* Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
* Nuno Mendes (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
Bonmatí Makes History with Third Consecutive Ballon d'Or
In the women's category, Barcelona's Aitana Bonmatí cemented her place in the history books by winning the Ballon d'Or Féminin for the third straight year. The Spanish midfielder, a driving force behind Barcelona's domestic treble and a key player in Spain's run to the EURO 2025 final, now joins an elite group of players—including Lionel Messi and Michel Platini—who have won the award three consecutive times.
Other Major Award Winners
* Kopa Trophy (Best Male U-21 Player): Barcelona's Lamine Yamal received the award for the second year in a row, a testament to his meteoric rise in world football.
* Kopa Trophy (Best Female U-21 Player): Vicky López of Barcelona took home the inaugural award for the best female U-21 player.
* Yashin Trophy (Best Male Goalkeeper): Gianluigi Donnarumma, formerly of PSG and now at Manchester City, won the award for the second time in his career.
* Yashin Trophy (Best Female Goalkeeper): Hannah Hampton of Chelsea was awarded the first-ever prize for the best female goalkeeper.
* Gerd Müller Trophy (Top Scorer): The award was shared between Viktor Gyökeres of Arsenal and Ewa Pajor of Barcelona.
* Socrates Award: The Xana Foundation, a charity created by PSG coach Luis Enrique in memory of his late daughter, was honored for its work supporting children with life-threatening illnesses.
* Men's Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
* Women's Club of the Year: Arsenal