on September 22, 2025, the 69th Ballon d’Or Awards ceremony took place at the Théâtre des Chateliers in Paris, France. on a night that honored the brightest stars in world football over the course of a season, the prestigious 2025 Ballon d’Or trophy welcomed a new owner. From Ousmane Dembele’s dramatic rise from ‘failed talent’ to world’s best to the winners of all the major categories, here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

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the coronation of a new emperor: the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or winners

men’s Ballon d’Or: Ousmane Dembele

the men’s award went to Ousmane Dembele, who led PSG to a European treble. After being labeled a ‘failed talent’ due to his frequent injuries and ups and downs, he made a complete comeback to win his first Ballon d’Or. He fought off stiff competition from Barcelona phenom Lamine Yamal to take home the award, and was moved to tears on the podium, thanking the clubs that helped shape him in the past.

women’s Ballon d’Or: Aitana Bonmati

the reigning queen of women’s soccer, Aitana Bonmati, won the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third consecutive year (2023, 2024, 2025), proving once again that she is the best player in the world by leading her club Barcelona Femeni to a second consecutive UEFA Women’s Champions League title and treble.

2025 Ballon d’Or main category winners

copa Trophy (Under-21): for the second year in a row, Ramin Yamal won the men’s trophy and Vicky Lopez won the women’s trophy, showcasing the strength of Barcelona’s youth system.

yassin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper): won by Gianluigi Donnarumma for his revolutionary role in PSG’s treble, and by Hannah Hampton, the patron saint of Chelsea and the England national team, in the women’s category.

johan Cruyff Trophy (Coach of the Year): the men’s award went to Luis Enrique , who coached PSG to the treble, and the women’s award went to Sarina Wigman, who led England to Euro 2025

other awards: the Gert Muller Trophy, awarded to the striker of the year, was won by Victor Yokers , while the club of the year awards went to PSG for the men and Arsenal for the women.

brightest moments: The Socrates Prize and the Shana Foundation

the Socrates Prize for Social Impact was awarded to the Shana Foundation, founded by Luis Enrique in honor of his nine-year-old daughter, Shana, who passed away from osteosarcoma, to support pediatric cancer research and families battling the disease. at the ceremony, Enrique’s other daughter, Cira Martinez, took the stage to deliver a moving acceptance speech.

luis Enrique, a true hero

on the surface, Dembele and Bonmati may seem like the stars of the show, but Luis Enrique was the real star of the show: winning Coach of the Year, his protégé Dembele winning the Ballon d’Or, his club PSG winning Club of the Year, and the Socrates Award in his family’s name. it’s never been before that a single coach has dominated an entire awards ceremony in such a meaningful way, and his soccer philosophy and human story made Ballon d’Or night 2025 even better.