Football isn't exactly known for its predictability anymore, but what happened at the ceremonie Ballon d'Or 2025 felt like a fever dream for most fans. We spent years watching Messi and Ronaldo pass the Golden Ball back and forth like a playground toy. Then Rodri broke the streak in 2024. But 2025? That was the year the script truly went out the window.
If you’d told a Barcelona fan three years ago that Ousmane Dembele would be standing on that stage at the Théâtre du Châtelet, clutching the biggest individual prize in sports while wearing a PSG badge, they probably would’ve laughed you out of the room. Yet, there he was.
The Night Paris Stood Still
Honestly, the atmosphere in Paris on September 22, 2025, was electric. You could feel it through the screen. The red carpet was a mess of high fashion and even higher stakes. Kate Scott and the legendary Ruud Gullit were hosting, trying to keep things moving, but the crowd only had eyes for one person.
Dembele’s win wasn't just a "good season" fluke. It was the culmination of a year where he finally—finally—stayed healthy and turned into an absolute monster under Luis Enrique. We are talking 33 goals and 15 assists. He didn't just play well; he dragged PSG to their first-ever Champions League title. That’s the kind of leverage you need to win this thing.
Why Lamine Yamal Almost Made History
Most of us were rooting for the kid. Lamine Yamal. At 18, he was trying to become the youngest winner ever, which would have shattered Ronaldo’s (R9) record from 1997. He ended up in second place, which is still insane for a teenager.
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He had the stats. He had the "it" factor. He won the La Liga title with Barcelona. But the Ballon d’Or voters—those 100 journalists from the top-ranked FIFA nations—usually lean toward the guy who lifts the Big Ears (the Champions League trophy). Since PSG knocked out the competition, Dembele had the edge.
The Full 2025 Rankings (The Top 10)
It’s kinda wild to look at the points now. Dembele didn't just win; he dominated the voting with 1,380 points. Here is how the top of the table actually shook out:
- 1st: Ousmane Dembele (PSG / France) – 1380 pts
- 2nd: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain) – 1059 pts
- 3rd: Vitinha (PSG / Portugal) – 703 pts
- 4th: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool / Egypt) – 657 pts
- 5th: Raphinha (Barcelona / Brazil) – 620 pts
- 6th: Achraf Hakimi (PSG / Morocco)
- 7th: Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid / France)
- 8th: Cole Palmer (Chelsea / England)
- 9th: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG / Italy)
- 10th: Nuno Mendes (PSG / Portugal)
Notice anything? PSG basically owned the ceremony. Having five players in the top ten is a statement. Also, seeing Mbappe down at 7th was a huge shocker for the Madrid faithful, but without a major trophy that year, his individual numbers just weren't enough to bridge the gap.
A Hat-Trick for Aitana Bonmati
While the men's side was all about new blood, the Ballon d'Or Féminin was a masterclass in consistency. Aitana Bonmati took home her third consecutive trophy. She’s basically the Messi of the women’s game at this point.
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She matched Leo’s record for consecutive wins, and honestly, nobody else was even close. Mariona Caldentey put up a fight after her move to Arsenal, and Alessia Russo had a brilliant year, but Bonmati is playing a different sport right now.
The Other Winners You Might Have Missed
The night wasn't just about the big gold balls. Several other trophies were handed out that shifted the power dynamics of European football:
- Kopa Trophy (Best U-21): Lamine Yamal (Men) and Vicky Lopez (Women). No surprises there.
- Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper): Gianluigi Donnarumma. He’s back on top, though Hannah Hampton winning the first-ever Women’s Yashin Trophy was a massive moment for Chelsea and England.
- Gerd Muller Trophy (Top Scorer): Viktor Gyokeres. The man is a goal-scoring machine. He outpaced everyone in Europe, earning his move to Arsenal in the process.
The "New" Rules That Changed Everything
You've probably noticed that the Ballon d'Or feels different lately. That’s because it is. Since 2022, France Football stopped looking at the calendar year. They only care about the season (August to July).
This is why the 2025 ceremony felt so tied to the 2024/25 Champions League run. If they were still using the old rules, international tournaments later in the year might have muddied the waters. Now, it's all about who was the king of the pitch from the first whistle in August to the final one in the summer.
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Also, they cut the jury down. It’s only the top 100 countries now. This was supposed to stop the "random" votes from smaller nations that sometimes skewed the results based on name recognition rather than actual performance. It seems to be working, though the "PSG bias" was a hot topic on Twitter (or X, whatever) for weeks after the gala.
What This Means for the 2026 Race
We are already looking ahead. With 2026 being a World Cup year, the ceremonie Ballon d'Or 2025 was the last one where club football was the undisputed king.
If you’re a betting person or just a hardcore fan, keep an eye on these three things for the next cycle:
- The World Cup Factor: 2026 winners almost always come from the team that lifts the trophy in North America.
- The Health of Lamine Yamal: If he stays on this trajectory, 2026 is his to lose.
- Mbappe's Redemption: He was visibly frustrated at the 2025 gala. A "tissed off" Mbappe usually results in a 50-goal season.
The 2025 ceremony proved that the era of the "Big Two" is officially dead. We are in a world where a healthy Dembele or a teenage Yamal can take the crown. It’s chaotic, it’s controversial, and honestly, it’s exactly what football needed.
To stay ahead of the curve, start tracking the 2025/26 season stats immediately, specifically focusing on goal contributions and "big game" performances in the Champions League knockout stages, as these remain the highest-weighted variables for the voting jury.