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Who Won the 2025 Ballon d’Or – Full Winners, Rankings and Highlights

George Edward Howard Thompson • 2026-04-09 • Reviewed by Hanna Berg

The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony crowned Ousmane Dembélé as the winner of the men’s award and Aitana Bonmatí as the recipient of the women’s award, marking significant moments in football history. The prestigious ceremony took place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on 22 September 2025, celebrating the world’s finest footballers across multiple categories.

The annual award, organized by France Football magazine, recognizes the best footballers from the previous season, with voting conducted by international sports journalists. This year’s ceremony brought together the biggest names in football to honor exceptional performances across domestic leagues and international competitions.

Who Won the 2025 Ballon d’Or?

Winner: Ousmane Dembélé
Runner-up: Lamine Yamal
3rd Place: Vitinha
Ceremony Date: 22 September 2025

Key Insights:

  • Ousmane Dembélé secured his first Ballon d’Or win with Paris Saint-Germain, earning 1380 points from international journalists.
  • The 2025 edition marked the first time the Women’s Yashin Trophy and Women’s Kopa Trophy were presented as official awards.
  • Paris Saint-Germain dominated the men’s rankings with three players finishing in the top five.
  • Lamine Yamal became the first player to win the Kopa Trophy twice since its inception.
  • Aitana Bonmatí claimed her third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or, cementing her status as one of the best midfielders in the world.
  • Gianluigi Donnarumma won the Men’s Yashin Trophy, distinguishing himself among elite goalkeepers.
Category Winner Club Points
Men’s Ballon d’Or Ousmane Dembélé Paris Saint-Germain 1380
Women’s Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmatí Barcelona
Men’s Kopa Trophy Lamine Yamal Barcelona 124
Women’s Kopa Trophy Vicky López Barcelona
Men’s Yashin Trophy Gianluigi Donnarumma PSG/Manchester City 486
Women’s Yashin Trophy Hannah Hampton Chelsea 88

2025 Ballon d’Or Ceremony Details

Event Date and Venue

The Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris hosted the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony on 22 September 2025. The historic venue, known for its opulent architecture and cultural significance, provided a fitting backdrop for football’s most prestigious individual award. The event brought together players, coaches, officials, and media from around the world to celebrate the achievements of the past season.

Award Period and Criteria

The men’s award covered performances from 1 August 2024 to 13 July 2025, concluding with the end of the FIFA Club World Cup. The women’s award evaluation period ran until 2 August 2025, coinciding with the conclusion of the Copa América Femenina. Voting was conducted by an international panel of sports journalists, who allocated points based on their rankings of the top performers.

Voting Process

International journalists from across the globe submitted their rankings for the top players, with points allocated based on placement. The results were compiled and verified before the official announcement at the ceremony.

Top Rankings and Nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or

Men’s Ballon d’Or Top 10

The men’s award featured intense competition throughout the voting process. According to official UEFA rankings, Ousmane Dembélé secured a commanding victory with 1380 points, followed closely by Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal with 1059 points.

Rank Player Nationality Club Points
1 Ousmane Dembélé France Paris Saint-Germain 1380
2 Lamine Yamal Spain Barcelona 1059
3 Vitinha Portugal Paris Saint-Germain 703
4 Mohamed Salah Egypt Liverpool 657
5 Raphinha Brazil Barcelona 620

The complete top 30 rankings were confirmed through official coverage, with PSG and Barcelona players dominating the upper echelons of the standings. Nominees were officially announced on 7 August 2025, featuring prominent names such as Jude Bellingham, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Mohamed Salah, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha.

Men’s Yashin Trophy Rankings

Gianluigi Donnarumma claimed the Men’s Yashin Trophy as the world’s best goalkeeper with 486 points. According to Wikipedia records, the Italian shot-stopper finished well ahead of Alisson (120 points) and Yann Sommer (112 points).

Rank Goalkeeper Nationality Club Points
1 Gianluigi Donnarumma Italy PSG/Manchester City 486
2 Alisson Brazil Liverpool 120
3 Yann Sommer Switzerland Inter Milan 112
4 Thibaut Courtois Belgium Real Madrid 69
5 Yassine Bounou Morocco Al-Hilal 48
Notable Absence

Real Madrid, which boycotted the ceremony in previous years, did not repeat this stance in 2025. However, the club’s representation remained limited in the final rankings.

Women’s Ballon d’Or 2025 Winner

Aitana Bonmatí continued her remarkable dominance in women’s football by winning the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third consecutive year. The Spanish midfielder, representing Barcelona, was recognized for her outstanding performances throughout the season, contributing significantly to her club’s success both domestically and in European competition.

The women’s award nominees featured strong representation from Barcelona, highlighting the club’s continued investment in world-class talent. Bonmatí’s achievement places her among the most decorated players in the history of the award, following her previous wins in 2023 and 2024.

Women’s Yashin Trophy

Hannah Hampton of England and Chelsea claimed the inaugural Women’s Yashin Trophy with 88 points. As reported by Sporting News, the English goalkeeper finished ahead of Ann-Katrin Berger (26 points) and Cata Coll (25 points).

Women’s Kopa Trophy

Vicky López, also representing Barcelona, won the Women’s Kopa Trophy as the best young player under 21. This marked another achievement for Barcelona’s youth development program, as noted in Sports Illustrated coverage.

2025 Ballon d’Or Timeline

The road to the 2025 Ballon d’Or unfolded across several key milestones throughout the year, building anticipation toward the final ceremony in Paris.

  1. 7 August 2025 — Official nominees for all categories announced, including Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembélé, Mohamed Salah, and Lamine Yamal.
  2. 1 August 2024 – 13 July 2025 — Evaluation period for men’s award, ending with FIFA Club World Cup.
  3. 1 August 2024 – 2 August 2025 — Evaluation period for women’s award, ending with Copa América Femenina.
  4. 22 September 2025 — Ceremony held at Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris; winners officially announced.
  5. Post-ceremony — Player reactions and analysis published across major sports publications.

Confirmed Facts and Areas of Uncertainty

Confirmed Information

  • Ousmane Dembélé won the Men’s Ballon d’Or with 1380 points.
  • Aitana Bonmatí won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third consecutive time.
  • The ceremony took place on 22 September 2025 at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
  • Lamine Yamal won the Men’s Kopa Trophy for the second time.
  • 2025 marked the first Women’s Yashin and Kopa Trophies.
  • PSG and Barcelona dominated the men’s rankings.

Information Requiring Verification

  • Minor point discrepancies exist between sources for certain rankings.
  • Specific point totals for Women’s Ballon d’Or and Women’s Kopa Trophy were not publicly released.
  • Full top 30 men’s rankings details beyond confirmed top 5.

Historical Context and Significance

The 2025 Ballon d’Or continued the tradition of recognizing excellence in football while introducing new elements to the awards. The addition of separate Women’s Yashin and Kopa Trophies as official categories reflected the growing prominence of women’s football in global discussions about the sport.

Prior to 2025, Rodri had won the Men’s Ballon d’Or in 2024, while Aitana Bonmatí claimed the Women’s award. The voting methodology, based on international journalist rankings, has remained largely consistent over the years, though minor adjustments to criteria and transparency have been implemented periodically.

PSG’s strong showing in 2025 highlighted the club’s development under coach Luis Enrique, who was recognized as Men’s Coach of the Year with 118 points. This represented a significant achievement for the French club, which had previously struggled to achieve individual recognition at this level despite team success.

Reactions and Controversies

Mohamed Salah’s fourth-place finish generated significant discussion among fans and analysts. According to Goal.com coverage, critics questioned the placement given his impressive statistical record during the evaluation period.

Ceremony Attendance

Mohamed Salah notably skipped the ceremony following his fourth-place finish. Cole Palmer’s eighth-place ranking also drew contention, with analysts debating the consistency criteria used in the voting process.

Summary

The 2025 Ballon d’Or marked a landmark year for football recognition, with Ousmane Dembélé emerging as the men’s winner and Aitana Bonmatí securing her third consecutive women’s award. The dominance of PSG and Barcelona in the rankings reflected the current landscape of elite club football, while the introduction of dedicated women’s awards for goalkeepers and young players signaled the continued growth of the women’s game.

For those interested in broader economic contexts, the impact of major sporting events on energy markets and financial indicators often parallels the global attention generated by events like the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ballon d’Or?

The Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented by France Football magazine to recognize the best footballer in the world. It is determined by votes from international sports journalists.

How is the Ballon d’Or voted on?

International sports journalists from around the world submit their rankings of the top players. Points are allocated based on placement, with the highest-ranked player accumulating the most points.

Who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024?

In 2024, Rodri won the Men’s Ballon d’Or, and Aitana Bonmatí won the Women’s Ballon d’Or.

Where was the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony held?

The ceremony took place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France, on 22 September 2025.

What new awards were introduced in 2025?

2025 marked the first year that the Women’s Yashin Trophy and Women’s Kopa Trophy were presented as official award categories.

Who won the Kopa Trophy in 2025?

Lamine Yamal won the Men’s Kopa Trophy for the second time, and Vicky López won the Women’s Kopa Trophy.

Which clubs dominated the 2025 Ballon d’Or?

Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona had the strongest representation, with PSG players occupying three of the top five men’s positions and Barcelona featuring prominently across multiple categories.

George Edward Howard Thompson

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George Edward Howard Thompson

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