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Ousmane Dembele captured football's most coveted individual honor Monday night, winning the 2025 Ballon d'Or after spearheading Paris Saint-Germain's breakthrough Champions League triumph.
The 28-year-old French forward edged out Barcelona's teenage phenom Lamine Yamal for the prestigious award at a ceremony in the French capital, succeeding Manchester City midfielder Rodri as the world's best player.
Dembele's recognition caps a remarkable campaign that saw PSG finally achieve European glory after years of near-misses. The club's first-ever Champions League title highlighted a treble-winning season that included domestic league and cup victories.
The former Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona winger contributed 35 goals across all competitions, proving instrumental in PSG's historic breakthrough. His performances helped end the Parisian club's decade-long quest for European supremacy.
"I really don't have the words. It was an incredible season with PSG," an emotional Dembele said during his acceptance speech, praising coach Luis Enrique as being "like a father."
"It is an individual trophy but it was really the collective that won it," added Dembele, who was among nine PSG players nominated for the award following their triumphant campaign.
The 18-year-old Yamal, who finished runner-up in the main category, secured his second consecutive Kopa Trophy for the world's best player under 21. The Spanish sensation previously played alongside Dembele at Barcelona when he first emerged in 2023.
Dembele, a member of France's 2018 World Cup-winning squad, acknowledged the award wasn't initially a career goal. "The Ballon d'Or has not really been an objective for me in my career but I worked hard for the team to win the Champions League," he said.
The victory comes as a career renaissance for Dembele, whose journey through European football's elite clubs culminated in Paris with the ultimate individual recognition.
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