Dembele wins Ballon d'Or as PSG complete treble, edging Yamal

Ousmane Dembele was crowned the winner of the men's Ballon d'Or at a star-studded ceremony in Paris on Monday evening, taking the prize ahead of Barcelona's Lamine Yamal after a season in which Paris Saint-Germain won the treble, including their first Champions League title. Dembele, 28, scored 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 games and was named Player of the Season in the Champions League for his performances across the campaign. He accepted the trophy from Ronaldinho, remarking that the award reflected the collective effort of his PSG teammates.

Yamal, 18, collected the Kopa Trophy for the youngest standout, underscoring a breakout year for the Barcelona academy product as he finished runner-up in the Ballon d'Or race. Nine players from PSG were among the 30 nominees for the awards, but many could not attend due to a rescheduled league game away at Marseille. Dembele attended despite an injury, highlighting his role in the team's success even from the sidelines. Earlier, the match billed as 'El Clasico' between PSG and Marseille was postponed due to storm warnings, with Ligue 1 rules requiring weather-suspended fixtures to be replayed the next day except in exceptional cases.

Mohamed Salah finished fourth after a standout season that helped Liverpool win the Premier League title. Five British players were on the shortlist: Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Harry Kane and Scott McTominay. Real Madrid were absent from the event for a second straight year, continuing a trend after skipping last year's ceremony when Vinicius Junior was beaten to the award by Manchester City's Rodri.

In the women's category, Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati won the Ballon d'Or for a third consecutive year, ahead of Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo. England's head coach Sarina Wiegman received the Johan Cruyff Trophy for the best coach in the women's game, following the Lionesses' Euro success. On the men's side, Luis Enrique won the award for the best coach, beating Arne Slot, Antonio Conte, Enzo Maresca and Hansi Flick.

Dembele responded to the win by saying the year had been exceptional and credited the collective effort of his teammates. The prize capped a season in which PSG established themselves as one of Europe’s dominant clubs, crowned by their first Champions League title and a treble that included domestic league and cup triumphs. For PSG, the Ballon d'Or victory comes as the sport shifts toward a new generation of stars like Yamal, alongside veterans who continue to shape the game at the highest level. The ceremony highlighted both the consistency of PSGs push for European glory and the emerging talent from Spain, England and beyond.