The Ballon d’Or gala took place at the Theâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France, to reward the best of the year in the world of soccer. PSG striker Ousmane Dembele received the award for Best Player on the Planet after a wonderful season with his club; the rest of the field, Lamine Yamal (Kopa Trophy) and Raphinha will have to wait until next year.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony rewarded the best players, goalkeepers, young prospects, top scorers and coaches of the 2024/25 season, as well as the clubs of the year and a humanitarian award: the Socrates Award, which shows the social commitment of players beyond their performance on the pitch.
Aitana Bonmati, the biggest winner in Ballon d’Or history
Aitana Bonmati had the great opportunity to make history in women’s football and win her third consecutive Ballon d’Or and she did. The Spaniard lifted the award in the 2023 and 2024 editions, and now she can become the first footballer to win three in a row.
The Spaniard was aware that this season the fight for the award was tough, as she competed with 30 high-caliber players, in a list of candidates including her compatriots Alexia Putellas and Mariona Caldentey; EURO 2025 champions Alessia Russo and Lucy Bronze; and Copa America winner and Brazilian legend Marta.
Ousmane Dembele’s campaign with Paris Saint-Germain
Dembele, a former FC Barcelona player, probably experienced the best season of his career last season, playing as a ‘false 9’ under Luis Enrique Martinez, coach of a PSG side that made history by winning its first UEFA Champions League. It is worth noting that the Spaniard won the award for Best Coach in the World.
The winger, who had previously been marked by his inconsistency and physical problems, had a spectacular 2024-25 campaign where, in addition to winning the treble with his club, only imperfect by the runners-up in the Club World Cup after losing in spectacular fashion to Chelsea; the Frenchman shone on a personal level with 35 goals and 16 assists.
This was Lamine Yamal’s reaction to the Kopa Trophy
Lamine Yamal made history by becoming the first player to win the Kopa Trophy twice, which designates the best footballer under 21 years of age, at the Ballon d’Or ceremony presented by France Football magazine. The striker beat Doue (PSG), Ayoub Bouaddi (Lille), Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Estevao (Chelsea), Huijsen (Real Madrid), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona) Joao Neves (PSG), Rodrigo Mora (Oporto) and Kenan Yildiz (Juventus) in the final vote.
The young Spanish striker had an impeccable season by winning the national treble: LaLiga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana and now, he has been recognized for that effort and relevance during the last campaign with the Kopa Trophy. Upon receiving the Kopa Trophy, Yamal did not seem entirely happy, as he already imagined that by receiving this award, he would not win the Ballon d’Or.
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