Ousmane Dembele Leads 2025 Ballon d’Or Rankings: How He Compares to Lamine Yamal

On Monday, September 22, the debate surrounding the 2025 Ballon d’Or concluded with Ousmane Dembele emerging as the winner. After much speculation about a rivalry with Lamine Yamal, the prestigious award from France Football was awarded to Dembele. The official voting totals released on Friday revealed that the margin between the two players was larger than anticipated.

Both players were front-runners for the top individual honor in soccer. Dembele, a forward for Paris Saint-Germain, had an outstanding season, participating in 53 matches, scoring 35 goals, providing 16 assists, and winning five trophies: Ligue 1, the French Super Cup, the Coupe de France, the UEFA Champions League, and the UEFA Super Cup.

Lamine Yamal, who won the Kopa Trophy for the best U-21 player in the world for the second consecutive year, also had a remarkable season with Barcelona and the Spain national team. He featured in 55 matches, scoring 18 goals and providing 25 assists, helping his club secure three domestic titles: La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, and the Copa del Rey.

Voting Details for the Ballon d’Or

The Ballon d’Or winner is determined through a voting process that includes key representatives from various countries. Each voter ranks their top five players, assigning five points to their first choice, four to the second, and so forth. The points are tallied to declare the winner at a gala event.

Yamal, with his impressive season at Barcelona, accumulated 1,059 points. His skillful dribbling, speed, goals, and assists contributed significantly to his overall score.

Dembele, however, finished with a total of 1,380 points. His significant impact on Paris Saint-Germain’s success in all competitions last season made him the clear favorite among voters, earning him his first Ballon d’Or.

Final Ballon d’Or Standings

• 1- Ousmane Dembele – 1,380
• 2- Lamine Yamal – 1,059
• 3- Vitinha – 703
• 4- Mohamed Salah – 657
• 5- Raphinha – 620
• 6- Achraf Hakimi – 484
• 7- Kylian Mbappe – 278
• 8- Cole Palmer – 211
• 9- Gianluigi Donnarumma – 172
• 10- Nuno Mendes – 171

Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, the NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he now covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS, and the NBA.