Copyright yen
The official results for the 2025 Ballon d’Or have been released, confirming that Ousmane Dembele beat Lamine Yamal by 321 votes to claim football’s most prestigious individual prize. Dembele’s triumph caps off a stunning year in which he inspired Paris Saint-Germain to their long-awaited UEFA Champions League victory, delivering world-class performances throughout the campaign. Under Luis Enrique’s management, the French forward delivered a remarkable 35 goals and 16 assists across all competitions last season. In the weeks leading to the ceremony, rumours suggested that Barcelona’s 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal had outshone his former teammate for the award. But in Paris, it was Dembele who triumphed, amassing an impressive 1,380 votes to secure his place among football’s elite. 2025 Ballon d'Or Official Votes Dembele and Yamal were locked in a tight battle for the Ballon d’Or, but the Spanish prodigy ultimately settled for second place with 1,059 votes. Vitinha, whose position has sparked debate among fans, earned over 700 votes for his performances in Enrique’s midfield. Liverpool’s title-winning top scorer Mohamed Salah finished with 657 votes, while Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, the other Premier League name in the top 10, secured 211. Fabrizio Romano shared the official voting tallies on X, confirming that the award was essentially a two-horse race, with Yamal narrowly missing out on becoming the youngest winner in history. Still, their duel was less dramatic than last year’s heated showdown between Rodri and Vinicius Junior, where L’Équipe revealed the Manchester City star edged out the Real Madrid winger by just 41 points, sparking outrage after Vinicius skipped the ceremony. Ballon d'Or Votes: Kane & McTominay in Best of the Rest The Premier League had a relatively quiet showing in the Ballon d’Or rankings, with only Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer breaking into the top 10. Harry Kane emerged as England’s next best finisher in 13th, while Arsenal’s new striker Viktor Gyökeres followed closely in 15th. Vinícius Jr., who was runner-up last year, slipped to 16th, reflecting Real Madrid’s difficult campaign, while Robert Lewandowski’s 17th-place finish felt low given his key role in Barcelona’s La Liga triumph alongside Yamal and Raphinha. Source: YEN.com.gh
