Desk Report:
It was only a matter of time for Ousmane Dembele to win the Ballon d’Or. Let alone the list that was leaked before the award ceremony. He was far ahead of the pack in winning this award due to his extraordinary performance in the 2024-25 season.
Ronaldinho announced the winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony last night at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The Brazilian legend himself has also won the Ballon d’Or. He also played for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Before Ronaldinho could even open the envelope and announce the winner, the name of the Ballon d’Or winner was known. Because, a part of the audience was chanting the name Ousmane during the ceremony. In the end, the Ballon d’Or award went to the home boy Dembele.
On the field, Dembele is a name of concern for his opponents. No matter how strong the defenses are, the 28-year-old French forward breaks through them. But the difference between Dembele on the field and off the field is sky-high. He could not hold back his tears last night while accepting the Ballon d’Or. After winning the award, Dembele told the media, “I didn’t want to cry. But when I started talking about my family and the people around me, I couldn’t control myself. I just cried.”
It was known before the ceremony that Dembele was going to receive the Ballon d’Or. His mother sat among the guests to see her son receive the award. Dembele was the first to say to his mother on stage, “We did this together.” Although Dembele became emotional while accepting the award, the French forward controlled himself only after host Kate Scott called his mother to the stage.
In the 2024-25 season, Dembele played 53 matches for PSG in all competitions. He scored 35 goals and assisted 16 goals. His contribution to PSG’s treble victory in the last season – Ligue 1, French Cup, Champions League – was immense. The biggest thing is that PSG won the Champions League title for the first time in the 2024-25 season. Dembele scored 6 goals in the Champions League.
Dembele considers winning the Ballon d’Or one of the best achievements of his career. At the same time, he believes that the entire PSG deserves the award (Ballon d’Or). The 28-year-old French forward said, “This is one of the best achievements of my career. I thank PSG for taking me in 2023. My teammates are always playing great. This trophy is not mine alone. The achievement of the whole team.’
It was announced shortly before the Ballon d’Or award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris that the fight has come down to two people from 30. Those two footballers are Dembele and Lamine Yamal. When the cheers of ‘Ousman, Osman’ were heard, Yamal was kind of silent. Since 2023, Dembele has scored 43 goals in 99 matches in the PSG jersey. He has assisted 32 goals. In addition to winning the treble last season, Dembele also won the UEFA Super Cup.
