Ballon d'Or 2025: Highlights of Football's Biggest Individual Award

2 months back Andre Neri 9 minutes reading time

The 2025 Ballon d'Or marked an electrifying chapter in football history, celebrating not only individual talent, but also the narratives of overcoming obstacles and innovation that define the sport.

Held in Paris on September 22, 2025, the event crowned Ousmane Dembélé as the big male winner.

While Aitana Bonmatí claimed her third consecutive women's victory, reinforcing the award as a beacon of excellence in the world of football.

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Ordered Summary of Topics Covered

1. History and Meaning of the Ballon d'Or: An insight into the origins and evolution of the award, highlighting its role as a marker of eras in football.
2. The 2025 Voting Process and Candidates: Analysis of the selection mechanism and the main names that competed in this year's edition.
3. Winners and Standout Performances in 2025: Focus on the laureates, with an emphasis on their achievements and what sets them apart.
4. Impact on Modern Football and Individual Legacies: Discussion on how the award influences careers, clubs and the sport as a whole.
5. Statistics, Records and Comparative Analysis: Exploration of quantitative data and innovative comparisons to contextualize the 2025 edition.
6. Original Examples and Innovative Approaches: Creative illustrations of trajectories and analogies to enrich understanding.
7. Frequently Asked Questions: A table answering the most common questions about the Ballon d'Or.

1. History and Meaning of the Ballon d'Or

Since its creation in 1956 by France Football magazine, the Ballon d'Or has served as a thermometer for the pulse of European and, more recently, global football.

Initially restricted to players from the continent, the award has evolved to embrace talent from all corners of the world, reflecting the globalization of the sport.

Thus, it is not a mere trophy; it is a living narrative, where each winner adds a chapter to the football saga, influencing future generations to pursue excellence beyond collective victories.

However, the meaning goes beyond the annual award: it argues for the valorization of the individual in a team sport, questioning the balance between personal talent and group success.

For example, in the early years, figures like Stanley Matthews in 1956 symbolized the romantic era of the game, while modern editions highlight professionalization, with data analysis and performance metrics entering the debate.

In this way, the Ballon d'Or positions itself as a counterpoint to the excessive focus on club titles, arguing that individual brilliance can eclipse even the greatest achievements.

Furthermore, its expansion into women's categories in 2018 and additional awards such as the Yashin Trophy for goalkeepers reinforces its contemporary relevance.

Argumentatively, this demonstrates an intelligent adaptation to the social context, promoting gender equality in sport.

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Therefore, in 2025, the award not only celebrates the past, but projects into the future, encouraging innovations such as the inclusion of social impact metrics, which makes each edition an evolutionary milestone.

2. The Ballon d'Or 2025 Voting Process and Candidates

The Ballon d'Or voting process involves specialist journalists from various countries, each awarding points to five players based on criteria such as individual performance, collective achievements and fair play.

In 2025, this system gained additional layers of scrutiny, with France Football emphasizing the August 2024 to July 2025 season, better aligning with the football calendar.

Thus, voting becomes a democratic exercise, but not without controversy, such as debates about geographic bias or media influence.

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However, the 2025 candidates exemplify the diversity of football today: from prodigies like Barcelona's Lamine Yamal to established veterans like Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

Arguing for meritocracy, the 30-man shortlist included surprises like Ousmane Dembélé, whose resurgence at PSG has defied narratives of inconsistency.

In this way, the process highlights how injuries and transfers can alter trajectories, making the selection a mirror of the sport's volatilities.

Additionally, for the women's award, candidates like Aitana Bonmatí and Alessia Russo illustrated the rise of women's football, with votes that prioritized consistency in international competitions.

Therefore, in an edition marked by post-World Cup and Euros performances, the candidates were not just athletes, but ambassadors of global narratives.

In this sense, reinforcing the argument that the Ballon d'Or is a platform for debates on inclusion and sustainable excellence.

3. Winners and Outstanding Performances at the Ballon d'Or 2025

Ousmane Dembélé has emerged as the men's winner of the 2025 Ballon d'Or, a choice that subverts expectations by crowning a player known for his ups and downs.

But he delivered an impeccable season at PSG, leading the team to Champions League glory.

His dribbling and assisting skills, combined with his post-injury resilience, argue for the power of redemption in football.

Thus, Dembélé not only racked up decisive goals, but redefined his legacy, proving that late consistency can overcome early prodigies.

However, Lamine Yamal, runner-up, represented the future with his explosive youth, winning the Kopa Trophy and contributing to Barcelona's double.

His performance at Euro 2025, with dribbling that dismantled defenses, highlights how youth can challenge veterans.

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In this way, the contrast between Dembélé and Yamal enriches the edition, arguing that the award values both maturity and innate potential.

Additionally, in the women's competition, Aitana Bonmatí won her third consecutive Ballon d'Or, a historic feat that places her alongside legends like Messi.

His mastery in midfield, guiding Barcelona despite final defeats, reinforces the argument for consistent excellence.

So these performances aren't isolated; they weave a tapestry of inspiration, encouraging athletes to pursue personal narratives amidst collective chaos.

4. Impact on Modern Football and Individual Legacies

The Ballon d'Or 2025 impacts modern football by elevating the debate over what constitutes “the best”, influencing contracts, transfers and club marketing.

For example, Dembélé's win could boost PSG in future negotiations, arguing that investments in volatile talent pay off.

Thus, the award acts as an economic catalyst, transforming winners into global brands.

However, individual legacies go beyond the immediate: Bonmatí, with her triple crown, inspires a generation of players, promoting equality in emerging leagues.

Argumentatively, this questions patriarchal structures in sport, arguing that awards like this accelerate social change.

In this way, the impact extends to grassroots academies, where young people emulate winning styles.

Furthermore, in an era of data analytics, the Ballon d'Or encourages innovations such as personalized training, based on metrics from past winners.

Therefore, its influence is multifaceted, shaping not only careers but the ethos of football, where the individual strengthens the collective in unexpected ways.

5. Statistics, Records and Comparative Analysis

A relevant statistic that puts 2025 into context is that Lionel Messi holds the record with eight Ballons d'Or, a milestone that Dembélé, in his first victory, aspires to approach, highlighting longevity as a key factor.

Thus, comparing editions, 2025 saw a higher average number of goals per winner than previous years, reflecting the offensive nature of the modern game.

However, records like Cristiano Ronaldo's five argue for consistency across multiple clubs, contrasting with single victories like Dembélé's.

Thus, comparative analyses reveal patterns: winners often lead in assists, not just goals, which enriches the debate on versatility.

Additionally, performance tables help visualize this. For example:

Year	Male Winner	Goals/Assists in the Season	Club
2023	Lionel Messi	32/25	Inter Miami/Barcelona
2024	Rodri	12/15	Manchester City
2025	Ousmane Dembélé	28/22	PSG

Therefore, these metrics not only validate choices, but also invite reflection on tactical evolution.

6. Original Examples and Innovative Approaches

A unique example is Dembélé's journey, comparable to a painter who, after incomplete canvases, creates a masterpiece: his past injuries were like drafts, but in 2025, he painted a perfect season, mixing speed and vision for a winning painting.

So this illustrates how personal resilience can turn criticism into acclaim.

Furthermore, another creative example is Bonmatí as an orchestra conductor: amidst the chaos of the midfield, she leads harmonies, transforming passes into victorious symphonies, even in defeat.

However, this innovative approach argues for tactical intelligence over brute force.

Furthermore, an analogy: the Ballon d'Or is like the Nobel Peace Prize for football, rewarding not only skill, but contributions that pacify rivalries through mutual admiration.

So, who would have thought that individual awards could unite rival fan bases in constructive debates?

7. Frequently Asked Questions about the Ballon d'Or 2025

To clarify common uncertainties, we present a relevant table:

Question	Response
When did the Ballon d'Or ceremony take place?	Typically in September/October, as in 2025 on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris.
Who votes for the award?	International journalists, with points distributed to the top 5 players.
Does the award only consider Europeans?	No, it's been global since 1995, including talent from every continent.
Are there female categories?	Yes, since 2018, with Bonmatí winning in 2025 for the third time.
What is the main criterion?	Individual performance, collective achievements and fair play during the season.

In short, these elements enrich understanding, making the Ballon d'Or accessible and engaging.

For more details, check out these relevant and current links:

++ Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati win top Ballon d'Or awards.

++ Dembele wins trophy as Bonmati wins women's award for third year in row