the drama of reversal: Ousmane Dembele wins the 2025 Ballon d’Or

in the 2024-2025 season, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) striker Ousmane Dembele stood at the pinnacle of world soccer, winning the 2025Ballon d’Or, the highest honorfor a footballer, at a ceremony at the Théâtre de la Châtelet in Paris, France, capping off a storied career.

from ‘failed talent’ to ‘world’s best’: a coming-of-age drama

dembele’s path to the award has been anything but smooth. After being touted as a superstar prospect at Stade Rennes and Borussia Dortmund, he was labeled a “failed talent” after a series of injuries and ups and downs following his move to Barcelona. However, after moving to PSG, Dembele bounced back perfectly, scoring 35 goals and providing 14 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions last season to lead the club to a historic treble (Ligue 1, Champions League, and Coupe de France). his story from the worst of the worst to Ballon d’Or winner was a drama in itself[246].

in his acceptance speech, he broke down in tears, saying “something unbelievable has happened”, and showed great maturity as he thanked the clubs that developed him in the past and legendary teammates like Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta.

ballon d’Or 2025 final standings: the dawn of a new era

this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony marked the beginning of a new era. here are the final standings

1. ousmane Dembélé ([translate:Ousmane Dembélé], PSG)
2. lamine Yamal ([translate:Lamine Yamal], Barcelona)
3. vitinha ([translate:Vitinha], PSG)

a particularly strong contender was Barcelona phenom Lamine Yamal, who finished in second place, becoming the first teenager ever to reach the Ballon d’Or podium. His second consecutive Copa Trophy win was also well deserved.

a new legend in French soccer

with this win, Dembele becomes the sixth French player in history to win the Ballon d’Or, joining Léon Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema. he has etched his name into the history of his country’s soccer, achieving a feat that legends such as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Antoine Griezmann, and Kylian Mbappe have yet to accomplish.