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Ballon d'Or 2025: Dembele and Bonmati take top honours in Paris
Glenn Moore, AAP • September 23rd, 2025 10:45 am
Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele has taken the men's Ballon d'Or trophy in Paris | Photo: EPA
Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati have claimed the top honours at the Ballon d'Or awards in Paris, with Dembele becoming a popular men's Ballon d'Or winner at a noisy Theatre du Chatelet.
The Paris Saint-Germain and France forward gave an emotional speech and was subsequently joined on stage by his mother after beating Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal to the prestigious prize.
The 28-year-old was instrumental in PSG's first Champions League triumph, when they beat Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.
Yamal, however, had the consolation of a second successive Kopa Trophy for the best young player. Being one half of a Barcelona double, with Vicky Lopez winning the women’s Kopa award.
Bonmati claimed her third successive women's Ballon d'Or, despite Barcelona losing in the final of the Champions League to Arsenal and Spain losing to England in the final of Euro 2025.
Barcelona's Aitana Bonmatí has won her third women's Ballon d'Or in Paris | Photo: AP
Her Spanish teammate Mariona Caldentey, of Arsenal, finished second, while Arsenal and England’s Alessia Russo came third.
England had further cause for celebration with Sarina Wiegman named women’s coach of the year, having now masterminded three successive European Championship victories.
One with her native Netherlands in 2017, then two with England in 2022 and again this year.
Glossing over being introduced as “Sabrina” by former England men’s manager Fabio Capello, she said she was especially touched as the award is named after her compatriot Johan Cruyff.
Hannah Hampton, Chelsea and England goalkeeper, collected the Yashin Prize for being the best at her position.
On the men’s side, PSG’s former goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, now at Manchester City, won the Yashin award, while Luis Enrique won the men’s coach award, although he was absent from the ceremony, watching his PSG side lose 1-0 to Marseille in a rearranged French league match.
PSG were named men’s club of the year, while Arsenal took home the award for women’s team of the year.
Arsenal Women's team on the Ballon D'Or red carpet in Paris | Photo: EPA
Australia’s Steph Catley made the stage in recognition of Arsenal’s triumph, with the Gunners securing the Champions League title.
Catley, who stood in as Matildas captain during Sam Kerr’s absence, was nominated among the top 30 players in the world, finishing 29th overall, the fourth highest-rated defender in the women’s game.
Catley became just the third Australian woman to be shortlisted since the Ballon d'Or Féminin was introduced in 2018, joining five-time nominee Sam Kerr, who finished second in 2023 and third the previous two years, and Hayley Raso, who was listed in 2023.
The Gerd Muller Trophy winners, awarded to the top scorer in club/national team in 2024/25, were Arsenal’s former Sporting Lisbon forward Viktor Gyökeres and Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor.
