An emotional Ousmane Dembele was almost lost for words after being crowned the best player in the world, winning the Ballon d’Or for the first time on Monday, Afrosport reports.
The 28-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward edged Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to the award, capping off a sensational 2024–25 campaign in which he recorded 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 appearances.
The Frenchman, who joined PSG from Barcelona in 2023 for €50m, has redefined his career under the guidance of Spanish tactician Luis Enrique, who redeployed him in a “false nine” role following Kylian Mbappe’s departure to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024.
Thriving in his new role, he elevated his game and that of his team-mates. The evidence, however, was an unprecedented quadruple – lifting Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the Trophee des Champions and, most significantly, the club’s first-ever Champions League crown.
The very first picture of our new Ballon d’Or!
OUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/CKvDECZX63
— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) September 22, 2025
Dembele, who succeeds Manchester City midfielder Rodri as Ballon d’Or winner, received the trophy in a glittering ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
“Thank you all,” said a visibly emotional Dembele. “What just happened to me is incredible. I’m speechless. It’s been an amazing season with PSG. I’ve experienced incredible things, and I’m a little nervous; it’s not easy. Receiving this trophy, especially from Ronaldinho, is truly exceptional.”
He drew cheers from the Paris crowd as he praised PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, his team-mates and Enrique, whom he described as “like a father.”
“I want to thank PSG for signing me in 2023,” he said. “The president, the entire team, and the club. They are a wonderful family. From day one, the president has treated me very well.
“I would also like to thank all the staff at PSG who have been fantastic. Luis Enrique, who is like a father to me. He has been very important to my career, even though it’s not over yet.
“Thank you to all my teammates. We’ve won almost everything. You’ve been by my side, and together we’ve raised our level to achieve these team trophies. This is an individual award, but we all share in this success as a team.”
The French international, once touted as a generational talent but plagued by injuries early in his career, has finally risen to the top. However, he was not forgetful of the places that shaped him, appreciating the clubs and people that helped him along the way.
“Thank you to all the clubs I’ve played for: Stade Rennes, Borussia Dortmund, and the club I always dreamed of playing for, Barcelona,” Dembele stated. “I learned so much there, playing alongside players like [Lionel] Messi and [Andres] Iniesta. It was a great learning experience.
“I am so happy. When I see the list of legends who have won this award… I worked hard for the team to win the Champions League, Ligue 1 … to win this trophy is incredible. I am very happy.”
Dembele now stands among the greats and his success makes him the sixth Frenchman to win the Ballon d’Or, joining Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema.
