Ballon d'Or 2025: Dembélé Beats Yamal in Historic PSG Triumph
- by Atticus Montgomery
- Sep, 23 2025
Dembélé's Road to Glory
When the red carpet was rolled out at Paris' Théâtre du Châtelet, the buzz was unmistakable: Ousmane Dembélé was the favorite, but the competition felt like a clash of generations. The French winger had spent the season turning PSG into a relentless attacking machine, delivering goals, assists and moments of sheer brilliance that left defenders grasping at air.
His contribution wasn’t just about numbers. In the Ligue 1 campaign, Dembélé logged 28 goals and 12 assists, while his work rate on the flanks stretched opposition lines, creating space for teammates. The Champions League knock‑out rounds saw him score the decisive brace against Manchester City, and his performance in the final – a dazzling solo run that set up the winning goal – became the highlight reel of the season.
Those exploits translated directly into the voting. The panel of journalists, coaches and national team captains awarded Dembélé enough points to edge out his nearest rival, making him the first PSG player to ever claim the coveted trophy. The win also cemented his status as the face of a new, flair‑driven era in elite football.
Yamal's Record‑Breaking Rise
At just 17, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal turned the awards night into a personal milestone. No one had ever stood on the Ballon d'Or podium younger than 20, but Yamal shattered that barrier by a full three years. His performances for the Catalan giants were nothing short of electric: 19 league goals, 9 assists, and a pivotal role in Barcelona’s run to the Copa del Rey final.
Beyond raw stats, Yamal’s style reminded fans of street football’s improvisational spirit – quick footwork, unpredictable dribbles, and an ability to draw fouls that fueled his team’s rhythm. His impact earned him the Kopa Trophy, the award for the world’s best young player, confirming that his breakout season was no fluke.
Football legends and pundits immediately began drawing parallels between Yamal and past prodigies, but the consensus was clear: his age combined with the level of performance made the 2025 Ballon d'Or race historic.
The ceremony, hosted by CBS Sports’ Kate Scott and former Dutch star Ruud Gullit, highlighted more than just the two front‑runners. The night celebrated a shift toward “street‑style” football, a term coined by analysts to describe players who rely on creativity and instinct rather than the highly structured, data‑driven models that dominated the last decade.
Vitinha, the Portuguese midfielder who helped PSG secure both the treble and Portugal’s Nations League triumph, took home the bronze. While his achievement was impressive, the gap between third place and the top two underscored just how dominant Dembélé and Yamal were.
Other standout winners included:
- Aitana Bonmatí – Women’s Ballon d’Or for Barcelona
- Gianluigi Donnarumma – Men’s Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper) representing Manchester City
- Luis Enrique – Men’s Johan Cruyff Trophy (Best Coach) after guiding PSG to an unprecedented treble
- Viktor Gyökeres – Men’s Gerd Müller Trophy (Top Scorer) with Arsenal
- PSG – Men’s Club of the Year
- Arsenal – Women’s Club of the Year
Behind the scenes, Xavi Hernández’s influence was a recurring theme. The former Barcelona coach, now at the helm of the Catalan club, has been lauded for giving Yamal first‑team opportunities at 15 and 16, trusting his raw talent over conventional prudence. Xavi’s philosophy of freedom on the ball resonated with Dembélé’s own style, suggesting a broader tactical shift across Europe.
Fans took to social media in droves, chanting “Dembélé, Dembélé” in Parisian cafés while sharing clips of Yamal’s mesmerizing runs. The excitement wasn’t just about individual accolades; it felt like a collective yearning for football that feels alive, spontaneous, and unapologetically entertaining.
Critics of the modern, analytics‑heavy approach argue that this night proved a point: the sport still thrives on moments that can’t be measured in xG or heat maps. The sheer joy sparked by a well‑timed nutmeg or a sudden burst of speed is something data struggles to quantify.As the awards wrapped up, the atmosphere in the theatre was electric, not just for the winners but for a generation of supporters who see the game returning to its roots – a blend of skill, spontaneity, and pure passion. The next season promises to test whether Dembélé and Yamal can sustain this level, but for now, the world has a fresh narrative: the age of street‑style supremacy has arrived.
