50 Ballon d’Or Facts You Should Know (2025 Edition, Featuring Winner Dembélé)

When it comes to football’s most prestigious individual prize, the Ballon d’Or has an aura that few other awards match. The 2025 edition was special, and there are many details—some obvious, some less so—that make it worth knowing. Here are 50 facts about the 2025 Ballon d’Or, especially highlighting Ousmane Dembélé’s journey to winning it.

What Is the Ballon d’Or & How It Works

1. The Ballon d’Or is awarded annually by France Football, recognizing the world’s best football player in the men’s category. Vikipedi+2Reuters+2
2. There is also a Ballon d’Or Féminin for women players. Vikipedi+2The Times of India+2
3. The 2025 Ballon d’Or covers the 2024-25 football season, not the calendar year. Vikipedi+1
4. The eligible period for the men’s award was from 1 August 2024 to 13 July 2025. Vikipedi
5. Voting is done by journalists from many countries, each selecting their ranking among nominees. Vikipedi
6. The voting takes into account both individual and team performance, consistency, impact, and fair play. Vikipedi+2Reuters+2

The 2025 Ceremony Details

7. The ceremony took place on 22 September 2025 in Paris, at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Vikipedi+2The Guardian+2
8. Hosts included Kate Scott and Ruud Gullit. Vikipedi
9. Ousmane Dembélé won the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or—his first time winning this award. Vikipedi+2Reuters+2
10. In the women’s category, Aitana Bonmatí won the Ballon d’Or Féminin, her third consecutive win. Vikipedi+2Reuters+2

Facts About Dembélé’s 2024-25 Season & His Performance

11. Dembélé played for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) during the 2024-25 season. Vikipedi+1
12. He helped PSG win the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history in that season. Reuters+1
13. PSG also won Ligue 1 and Coupe de France in that season. Reuters+1
14. They added the UEFA Super Cup to their list of trophies in 2025. Reuters+1
15. Dembélé ended the season with 35 goals and 16 assists in all competitions. Talksport+2Reuters+2
16. He was joint-top scorer in Ligue 1 with 21 goals. Vikipedi+2Talksport+2
17. He was also named Ligue 1 Player of the Year for the first time. Vikipedi+1
18. In the Champions League final, PSG beat Inter Milan 5-0, and Dembélé provided two assists in that final. Vikipedi+2Talksport+2
19. Over the season, Dembélé made ~49 appearances across all competitions. Vikipedi+1
20. His contributions weren’t just goals; he had numerous assists and decisive moments in key matches (knockouts, etc.). Vikipedi+2The Times of India+2

Records, Comparisons & Context

21. Dembélé became the sixth French player to win the Ballon d’Or. Reuters
22. The previous French winner was Karim Benzema in 2022. Reuters
23. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) finished second in voting for the men’s Ballon d’Or in 2025. Reuters+1
24. Vitinha (PSG) came third. Reuters+1
25. The “Kopa Trophy” (best young male player) was won by Lamine Yamal. Vikipedi+1
26. Gianluigi Donnarumma won the “Yashin Trophy” for best male goalkeeper. Vikipedi+1
27. The “Gerd Müller Trophy” (top male scorer categories) was awarded to Viktor Gyökeres. Vikipedi+1
28. In the women’s Yashin Trophy, Hannah Hampton won. Vikipedi+1

Notable Moments & Emotional Highlights

29. Dembélé was visibly emotional during his acceptance speech, even shedding tears. Reuters+2Talksport+2
30. He thanked not only his teammates and coach Luis Enrique, but also club president and his mother, in a heartfelt moment. Reuters+1
31. He credited PSG’s collective effort – saying that while the trophy is individual, it is built from team work. Reuters+1
32. Ronaldinho, the former Ballon d’Or winner, presented the 2025 award to Dembélé. Reuters

Miscellaneous & Less Known Facts

33. The 2025 Ballon d’Or was the 69th edition of the award. Vikipedi
34. The nominees were announced on 7 August 2025. Vikipedi
35. It was only the fourth time in Ballon d’Or history that it was awarded based strictly on the season, not calendar year. Vikipedi
36. PSG was named Team of the Season (Men). Reuters+1
37. Luis Enrique was named Best Coach (Men). Reuters
38. On the women’s side, Bonmatí has now three Ballon d’Or Féminin awards, all consecutive. Vikipedi+2Reuters+2
39. The award is hugely prestigious partly because of its history and past winners: legends like Messi, Ronaldo, Platini, etc. (not specific to 2025, but gives context).

Stats, Numbers & Details

40. Dembélé’s number of goal contributions in the Champions League (goals + assists) set a new record for contributions by a player at a French club in a single Champions League campaign. Vikipedi
41. He had consecutive hat-tricks in official matches: one in the Champions League vs VfB Stuttgart and one in Ligue 1 vs Brest. Vikipedi
42. In the Club World Cup, he had a goal in the quarter-final vs Bayern Munich and a goal + assist in the semi-final vs Real Madrid. Vikipedi
43. PSG lost the final of the FIFA Club World Cup to Chelsea. Vikipedi
44. Over the season, his total appearances (49) plus his goal and assist stats were among the best in Europe. Vikipedi+1

Broader Impacts & Legacy

45. Dembélé’s win is seen as a comeback story: earlier in his career (especially at Barcelona) injuries and inconsistency had made many doubt whether he’d reach this level. Talksport+1
46. It’s PSG’s first time having one of their players win the Ballon d’Or (men’s) — raising the club’s individual prestige. Reuters
47. His performance in the 2024-25 season boosted his reputation globally, especially in matches with high pressure (Champions League) and towards critical phases of the season. The Guardian+1
48. The margin over his closest rivals (Yamal, Vitinha) was bridged by consistency, crucial matches, and contributions both in goals and assists. The Guardian+1
49. He’s now among the list of great French winners of Ballon d’Or; the win is important for French football’s picture on the world stage. Reuters
50. This Ballon d’Or win also serves as motivation for upcoming seasons—for both Dembélé and PSG—to maintain that high level and defend or add to their trophy haul. The expectation has shifted.

Final Thoughts on 2025 Ballon d’Or & Dembélé

Ousmane Dembélé’s 2025 Ballon d’Or victory reflects not just a season of goal-scoring and assists, but one of mental, physical, and professional maturity. From recovering from injuries, moving clubs, to performing in decisive moments—he made every count.

This edition of the Ballon d’Or will be remembered for his breakthrough, for PSG’s first Champions League title, and for how a player reclaimed his narrative on the world stage.