Ballon d'Or 2025: Dembélé wins his first while Bonmatí stuns with threepeat

The much-anticipated 2025 Ballon d'Or awards were given out in an elaborate ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, on September 22. This 69th edition of the coveted ceremony awarded the best in football over the 2024-25 season.

The event awarded both men's and women's football on equal terms, a significant change from previous years. The highest prize: The Ballon d'Or were given to Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmatí for being the best male and female footballer in the last season, respectively.

Ballon d'Or 2025

Barcelona and Spanish star player, Aitana Bonmatí won her third consecutive Ballon d'Or at Monday's ceremony, becoming only the third footballer to achieve the iconic threepeat, besides Michel Platini (1983-85) and Lionel Messi (2009-12).

Paris Saint-Germain and France's Ousmane Dembélé won his first ever Ballon d'Or in what was an emotional night for him. After months of speculations and analyses about the potential Ballon d'Or winner, Dembele won the race, bypassing Barcelona's 18 year old star, Lamine Yamal who finished second.

The 2025 Ballon d'Or achieved a milestone with equal number of categories for both men's and women's football. Until recently, the Ballon d'Or ceremony primarily awarded male footballers, coaches and teams while women's football greatly lacked visibility.

However, things seemed to have changed and hopefully for the better. In 2018, only seven years ago, the organisers of the award, France Football, gave out its first Ballon d'Or award to a female footballer, also known as Ballon d'Or Féminin. Norway's Ada Hegerberg was the inaugural recipient of the award.

The 69th edition has moved further ahead having introduced three new categories for women's football as counterparts of the existing male categories: Women's Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper in 2024/25, Women's Kopa Trophy for best young player in 2024/25 and Women's Gerd Müller Trophy for top scorer in club/national team in 2024/25.

All trophies, apart from the ultimate Ballon d'Or prizes were awarded to the male and female awardees together, to promote the idea of equality instead of endorsing hierarchy. The ceremony sent a strong message about the importance of women's football with 6 categories each for men's and women's football.

A neutral category, the Sócrates Award, was awarded for humanitarian practices by a footballer. Spain's Xana Foundation took home the esteemed award. The charity organisation was founded by PSG coach Luis Enrique in honour of his late daughter, Xana.

The complete list of winners at the 2025 Ballon d'Or awards:

1. Women's Ballon d'Or: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona, Spain)

2. Men's Ballon d'Or: Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain, France)

3. Women's Kopa Trophy: Vicky López (Barcelona, Spain)

4. Men's Kopa Trophy: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona ,Spain)

5. Women's Yashin Trophy: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea, England)

6. Men's Yashin Trophy: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain, Italy)

7. Women's Gerd Müller Trophy: Ewa Pajor (Barcelona, Poland)

8. Men's Gerd Müller Trophy: Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP, Sweden)

9. Women's Coach (Johan Cruyff Trophy): Sarina Wiegman (England National Team, Netherlands)

10. Men's Coach (Johan Cruyff Trophy): Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain, Spain)

11. Women's Club of the Year: Arsenal (England)

12. Men's Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain (France)

13. Socrates Award: Xana FoundationHumanitarian (Spain)

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