Overview
- At Paris’s Théâtre du Châtelet, Ousmane Dembélé was crowned after a 35‑goal season that drove PSG’s Champions League and domestic sweep, succeeding 2024 winner Rodri.
- Aitana Bonmatí earned a record third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or, extending Barcelona’s prominence in the women’s game.
- Lamine Yamal, 18, became the first man to win the Kopa Trophy twice, underscoring Barcelona’s youth pipeline.
- PSG’s Champions League breakthrough put nine of its players on the 30‑man shortlist as votes were cast by journalists from the top 100 FIFA‑ranked nations, with the women’s ballot drawn from the top 50.
- Pre‑gala ‘leak’ lists circulated online, but France Football said only editor‑in‑chief Vincent Garcia knew the results until the ceremony.