The winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or may have been revealed ahead of tonight’s ceremony in Paris, with reports suggesting Ousmane Dembele will take home football’s most prestigious individual award.
French journalist Romain Collet-Gaudin has claimed that the Paris Saint-Germain winger has edged out his rivals to claim the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his career.
If true, it would cap a remarkable season for the 28-year-old, who has been in the form of his life.
Dembele 2024-25 campaign was one of the most prolific in recent memory, with the forward finally realising his true potential after years of inconsistency.
He scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists across all competitions, helping PSG sweep to a historic haul of trophies.
Under Luis Enrique, the Parisian giants claimed the Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France and the Trophée des Champions, before adding the UEFA Super Cup to their collection in August.
Despite the strength of Dembele's case, there is still debate about who will be crowned.
The winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or may have been revealed ahead of tonight’s ceremony in Paris, with reports suggesting Ousmane Dembele will take home football’s most prestigious individual award | PA/REUTERSSpanish journalist Edu Aguirre has tipped Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal to win the award instead, despite the Catalan club missing out on the Champions League title.
“I think Lamine wins the Ballon d’Or for sure,” Aguirre said on El Chiringuito.
“It is surprising because Barcelona did not win the Champions League, and there is no World Cup this year.
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PSG star Ousmane Dembele has been nothing short of sensational over the past 12 months
|PA
“Logically in France, it should be between Dembele, Vitinha and Achraf Hakimi given PSG won everything.”
Spanish outlet Marca has claimed that no players have been informed of the results ahead of the gala, which traditionally takes place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Organisers are known for keeping the outcome secret until the winners’ names are read out on stage, although leaks have occurred in past years.
The men’s Ballon d’Or is not the only honour up for grabs tonight.
The women’s award is expected to be fiercely contested, with Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, Barcelona forward Mariona Caldentey and England striker Alessia Russo among the favourites.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, PSG’s Raphinha and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe are also believed to be in the top tier of contenders for the men’s prize.
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Lamine Yamal is also in contention to win this year's Ballon d'Or
|REUTERS
The Ballon d’Or has long been the most coveted individual accolade in football, with past winners including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić and Karim Benzema.
If Dembele does claim the award, it would mark the first time he has been recognised as the best player in the world, a triumph that would cement his status as PSG’s talisman in a team stacked with stars.
Fans will not have to wait long to find out the truth — the ceremony gets underway tonight, with the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or winners crowned alongside the Kopa Trophy for the best young player and the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper.
Rodri, the current award holder, isn't in contention after an injury-disrupted season last time out.