Ballon d’Or 2025: Ousmane Dembélé Crowned, Yamal Second, Raphinha Overlooked

The 69th Ballon d’Or ceremony crowned Ousmane Dembélé as the world’s best player for the 2024/25 season, with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal finishing second and PSG teammate Vitinha taking third.

Vitinha’s third place recognised a season of consistency and influence in Paris Saint-Germain’s midfield. He played a central role in PSG’s historic treble, winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the club’s first Champions League title.

His performances in the knockout stages of Europe’s top competition, particularly in the semi-final against Arsenal, underlined his growing importance. Vitinha also added international success, helping Portugal lift the UEFA Nations League in 2025.

Second place went to 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, who has quickly become Barcelona’s key attacking figure. He led the Catalan side to a domestic double of La Liga and Copa del Rey, finishing the season with double-digit goals and a remarkable assist tally. Yamal retained the Kopa Trophy as the best under-21 player, becoming the first footballer to win the award in consecutive years, and continued to break records as one of the youngest scorers in major competitions.

The winner, Ousmane Dembélé, enjoyed the most prolific and decisive campaign of his career. His 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 appearances made him both a scorer and creator at the highest level, driving PSG’s attack throughout the season.

In Ligue 1 he shared the Golden Boot with 21 goals, and his consistency earned him the league’s Player of the Year award. On the European stage, he was at his most influential: goals in the knockout rounds pushed PSG through, and in the Champions League final against Inter Milan he supplied two assists in a commanding 5–0 win.

Beyond the numbers, Dembélé finally delivered on years of expectation, pairing his trademark pace and dribbling with end product week after week. For PSG, his form was the difference in transforming ambition into history; for Dembélé, the Ballon d’Or marks the crowning achievement of a career once defined by potential, now realised at the very top.

Raphinha: The Forgotten Season?

Raphinha deserved more… Sometimes it’s about luck, sometimes it’s about perception — and this year, that’s what cost him a higher place in the rankings. The truth is, PR plays a huge role in the Ballon d’Or conversation. While Lamine Yamal had the full Barcelona machine behind him, Raphinha was left in the shadows by fans and pundits alike.

But the numbers don’t lie. Last season, Raphinha was unstoppable:

• 66 Games

• 38 Goals

• 23 Assists

  = 61 Goal Contributions in 66 Games

La Liga Champion | Copa del Rey Winner | Supercopa de España

This résumé screams Ballon d’Or podium. Yet he finished 5th. The lack of hype doesn’t erase the dominance he showed on the pitch. His season will be remembered in the numbers, in the trophies, and in the way he carried Barcelona on the biggest European nights.

Sometimes the narrative overshadows the truth, but the game remembers. If he can reproduce last season’s levels, his golden moment could still come one day.