Ousmane Dembele Wins First Ballon d'Or

Ousmane Dembele Wins First Ballon d'Or

Ousmane Dembele Wins First Ballon d'Or

Ousmane Dembele of Paris St-Germain has won the Ballon d'Or, marking his first victory of the prestigious award recognizing the best player in the world.

The 28-year-old forward from France had an outstanding season, scoring 35 goals and providing 14 assists in 53 matches for PSG, leading the team to a treble, which included their inaugural Champions League title.

Dembele was the joint top scorer in Ligue 1, netting 21 goals, and was honored as both the Ligue 1 and Champions League Player of the Year. He also played a crucial role in guiding PSG to the Club World Cup final, where they were narrowly defeated by Chelsea in New Jersey.

Despite his team playing on the same evening, Dembele was present at the ceremony in Paris, where he was visibly emotional as he accepted the award, having recently returned from injury that prevented him from participating in PSG's 1-0 home loss to Marseille, a match rescheduled due to a storm.

This accolade caps off a remarkable resurgence in Dembele's career, especially considering he had not scored double figures in a league season since his teenage years at Rennes. PSG's manager, Luis Enrique, who was also named Coach of the Year, played a pivotal role in Dembele's revival with a tactical change in mid-December, shifting him from a wide right position to a center-forward role. At that time, Dembele had only five goals but went on to score 30 more for PSG.

Dembele has finally showcased the talent that led Barcelona to invest an initial £96.8 million, potentially rising to £135.5 million, to acquire him from Borussia Dortmund in 2017. However, PSG secured him for just £43.5 million in 2023, making it a significant bargain for the club.

In addition to his club success, Dembele scored twice in seven appearances for the French national team during the 2024-25 season. He is now the sixth Frenchman to win the Ballon d'Or and the second of the 21st century, following Karim Benzema's win in 2022.

Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old Barcelona star, finished in second place and also received the Kopa Trophy for the best young player. PSG and Portugal midfielder Vitinha secured third place, while Liverpool's Mohamed Salah came in fourth. Chelsea's Cole Palmer finished eighth, and last year's winner, Rodri of Manchester City, was absent from the shortlist due to an injury-plagued season.

Viktor Gyokeres Claims Gerd Muller Trophy

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has won the Gerd Muller Trophy, awarded to the top scorer in European football for club and country for the 2024-25 season. The 27-year-old scored an impressive 54 goals in 52 matches for Sporting in Portugal, in addition to nine goals in six Nations League matches for Sweden.

Gyokeres joined Arsenal in a deal that could reach £64 million during the summer transfer window. The criteria for the Gerd Muller Trophy remain somewhat ambiguous, leading to uncertainty regarding the winner prior to the ceremony, although it is based on factual performance. Last season, the award was shared between Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, who each scored 52 goals. Previous winners of the award, which was established in 2021, include Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland.

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