Dembele and Bonmati claim Ballon d’Or honours
Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati took top honours at the Ballon d’Or awards after being crowned the best men’s and women’s players last night.
Dembele, the favourite to win, beat Lamine Yamal into second place after helping Paris Saint-Germain complete the treble in 2024-25, a haul that included Champions League glory.
The 28-year-old France midfielder was able to attend the awards ceremony in Paris even though PSG were playing Marseille last night because of a hamstring injury.
He edged out Lamine Yamal, who finished second while Liverpool forward Mo Salah finished fourth in the voting.
Bonmati made Ballon d’Or history by becoming the first woman to win the award three times in a row.
The 27-year-old Spain and Barcelona midfielder joined Lionel Messi and Michel Platini as the only players to have been recognised for three consecutive years.
"It's incredible this feeling. I never thought when I was a kid that I could achieve this because I didn't think women's football can exist," Bonmati said.
"I had idols like Andres Iniesta and Xavi and when I was a kid I only saw them on TV. It's incredible to be here and make history.
"But all of these trophies are because of collective work. We had a difficult season because we won some trophies, but we also lost some to amazing footballers."
England manager Sarina Wiegman won the Johan Cruyff trophy for the best women's coach of last season.
Wiegman has been rewarded for steering the Lionesses to Euro 2025 glory in Switzerland during the summer - the first time a senior England team has lifted a major trophy abroad.
"What an honour to get this award after an insane summer," Wiegman said at the ceremony in Paris.
"I would like to thank the players, the staff, the FA and my family for the hard work, trust and unconditional support I got from them. Without you I would not be standing here.
"The women's game has grown so far, we have broken records. I would also like to thank Switzerland for organising the Euros because it was absolutely insane.
"This is not just a personal honour. I see it as a recognition of the women's game and of our journey because we have come so far."
England's Hannah Hampton was crowned the best women's goalkeeper in the world, winning the Yashin Trophy following her exploits in the Euros and for Chelsea during their treble-winning season.
Two current Premier League stars won awards, although for their exploits at other clubs.
Manchester City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma took the men's Yashin Trophy after proving to be a key component in PSG's spectacularly successful 2024-25 season, which included clinching the Champions League.
New Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres took the Gerd Muller Trophy for men's top scorer in club and international football after firing 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last term.
The Gunners were named women's club of the year following their Champions League triumph, which saw them beat Barcelona 1-0 in the final.
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