59 years after the inaugural Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal – the top two contenders for the 2025 award – bring back the raw emotion of street football.
The support of his private wife, Rima Edbouche, and his family played a crucial role in Ousmane Dembele's transformation into the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner.
According to Vincent Garcia, editor-in-chief of France Football, the organizers of the Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembele received an overwhelming majority of the votes compared to Lamine Yamal.
Visibly moved upon receiving the 2025 Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembele expressed heartfelt gratitude to his "father figures" Nasser al-Khelaifi and Luis Enrique, PSG, the French national team, his hometown of Evreux, and tearfully acknowledged his loved ones.
Kylian Mbappe confirmed he will not attend the award ceremony on 22/9 and expressed his hope that fellow Frenchman Ousmane Dembele will win the 2025 Ballon d'Or.