Ousmane Dembele celebrated a remarkable achievement by winning the 2025 Ballon d'Or on Monday. This prestigious award marked his first, as he surpassed Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Raphinha for the honour.
Dembele played a crucial role in Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) success during the 2024-25 season, which included their first Champions League victory.
Throughout the 2023-24 season, Dembele contributed significantly with 18 goal involvements, comprising six goals and 12 assists. He was second only to Kylian Mbappe, who had 54 goal contributions before moving to Real Madrid. Dembele's performance improved notably in 2025, where he registered 40 goal involvements across Europe's top leagues.
Dembele's total of 53 goal contributions since last season placed him fifth among players in Europe's top five leagues. Only Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Raphinha, and Mbappe had more. His standout performances were particularly evident in the Champions League, where he scored eight goals and provided six assists.
In the Champions League final against Inter Milan, Dembele excelled by assisting twice in PSG's 5-0 victory. This made him the first player since Marcelo in 2018 to achieve two assists in a final. His efforts helped PSG secure their maiden Champions League title.
Dembele became only the second PSG player to win the Ballon d'Or after Lionel Messi, who won it during his time at PSG in 2021. He is also the sixth Frenchman to receive this accolade, joining legends like Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane.
Raphinha and Yamal's Contributions
Despite not winning the Ballon d'Or, Raphinha and Yamal had impressive seasons. Raphinha equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's record for goal involvements in a single Champions League campaign with 21. He also created numerous chances for Barcelona throughout the season.
Lamine Yamal emerged as a rising star following Spain's Euro 2024 triumph. He recorded 26 goal involvements during the 2024-25 season and led Europe’s top leagues in dribbles attempted and completed. At just over 17 years old, he became the youngest scorer in a Champions League semi-final.
Salah Shines for Liverpool
Mohamed Salah played a pivotal role in Liverpool's Premier League success under Arne Slot’s management. Salah matched Andrew Cole’s record for most combined goals and assists in a single Premier League season with 47. He now ranks fourth on the all-time Premier League scoring list with 188 goals.
Ousmane Dembl is the 2025 Ballon d'Or Winner pic.twitter.com/b2qvwNztOs
- Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 22, 2025
The achievements of these players highlight their exceptional talent and contribution to their teams' successes over the past year. While Dembele claimed football’s highest individual honour, Raphinha, Yamal, and Salah demonstrated their prowess on both domestic and international stages.
