Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati has made history by becoming the first player to win the women’s Ballon d’Or three times.
Bonmati, 27, took the award with her international team-mate, Arsenal winger Mariona Caldentey, coming second.
There were five England players in the top 10. Arsenal trio Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson came third, fifth and seventh respectively, with Chelsea duo Lucy Bronze and Hannah Hampton ninth and 10th.
Bonmati also won the award in 2023 and 2024. It means Barcelona players have won the honour in each of the past five years after midfielder Alexia Putellas earned the prize in 2021 and 2022.
Speaking on stage, Bonmati, who received the award from Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta, said: “My third time in a row here, and I still can’t believe it. Incredible. Thank you to France Football for this, for the third time – it really could have gone to anyone.
“If it was possible to share it I would, because I think it has been a year with an exceptionally high level, above all among my team-mates, who had a great year.
“Also to receive it from the hands of Andres Iniesta, one of my idols since I was little, alongside Xavi. I learned my football from them – to this day I thank them for all that they have taught me. Thank you to them for everything that they have done in football.
“I owe Barcelona everything – this is the club of my life. I hope to represent this badge for many more years.”
The award, officially called the Ballon d’Or Feminin, recognises the best footballer of the year and is voted for by a jury of journalists.
Outside the top 10, Arsenal defenders Emily Fox and Steph Catley came 25th and 29th respectively, with midfielder Frida Maanum ending 27th. Chelsea pair Sandy Baltimore and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd finished 15th and 23rd, while former Blues midfielder Pernille Harder was 20th.
Scotland and Real Madrid midfielder Caroline Weir finished 30th in the vote.
It was a great night for the Lionesses as manager Sarina Wiegman won the women’s coach award and Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton was named best women’s goalkeeper.
Paris Saint-Germain’s French international forward Ousmane Dembele has been named the men’s Ballon d’Or winner for 2025, with Barcelona’s Spanish international Aitana Bonmati claiming the women’s title for the third consecutive year.
Dembele helped PSG to its first Champions League title in May, and saw off strong competition from Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, who helped the Spanish club to the La Liga title year, immediately off the back of his starring role for Spain in their Euro 2025 triumph.
There was better news for fellow Barca forward Bonmati, however, as she became the third person, behind former French international Michel Platini and Argentina legend Lionel Messi, to claim a hat-trick of titles.
Dembele succeeded Manchester City midfielder Rodri to become the sixth Frenchman to win it after Raymond Kopa, Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema.
Bonmati won ahead of her Spain teammate Mariona Caldentey.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele holds aloft the Ballon d’Or award [Benoit Tessier/Reuters]
Dembele tops Yamal for club if not country
The award capped a remarkable turn of fortune for Dembele, who at one point last season was snubbed by PSG coach Luis Enrique for disciplinary reasons. But once repositioned as a No 9, he became a scoring machine and was inspirational in PSG’s historic Champions League campaign. The French club also completed a quadruple last season.
Dembele was praised after the Champions League final for the way he contributed to PSG’s pressing and his ability to defend during the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan. He delivered 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 official matches last season, and was involved in 14 goals (eight goals, six assists) in the Champions League in 15 appearances.
Dembele received the Ballon d’Or from former winner Ronaldinho and teared up during his acceptance speech, in which he asked his mother to join him on the stage.
“It’s incredible to win a trophy like this,” he said in French. “I worked for the team to help win PSG’s first Champions League. To then be rewarded with an individual trophy like the Ballon d’Or is truly exceptional.”
Barca forward Yamal, who turned 18 in July, also helped Barcelona to win the Copa del Rey last season, as well as the Spanish top flight, and to reach the Champions League semifinals. Yamal was given the Kopa award for the best under-21 player for the second straight year.
“I need to keep on working to win other awards in the future,” Yamal said through a translator.
Dembele was injured, but able to attend the ceremony in Paris, while his team lost at Marseille 1-0 in the French league. He was one of nine PSG players nominated for the men’s award, including goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, forward Desire Doue, who scored twice in the Champions League final, and winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati makes a speech after winning the women’s Ballon d’Or award [Benoit Tessier/Reuters]
Bonmati rises from Spain defeat to claim third straight Ballon d’Or
Although Bonmati lost to England in a penalty shootout in the Women’s European Championship final last summer, she was named the best player of the tournament, which she began just days after being hospitalised for viral meningitis.
Bonmati’s spot kick in the shootout was one of two saved by England’s Hannah Hampton, who was voted the best women’s goalkeeper.
“Third time in a row here, and I still can’t believe it,” Bonmati said. “I owe Barcelona everything. This is the club of my life.”
She won a domestic treble with Barcelona and also reached the Champions League final.
Barcelona has won the last five women’s awards, but it was expected that an Englishwoman would win for the first time. England won the Euros, and Arsenal took the Women’s Champions League. But with five England players among the women’s top 10 nominees, the highest placed was Alessia Russo at third.
Other trophies at Ballon d’Or awards
Barcelona forward Vicky Lopez won the women’s Kopa trophy, and Sarina Wiegman, who led England to European victory, took the Johan Cruyff award for best women’s coach. On a great night for PSG, Luis Enrique won in the men’s category.
PSG was voted the best men’s club, and Donnarumma received the Lev Yashin award for best goalkeeper. Donnarumma, whose shot-stopping in the knockout stages proved crucial to PSG’s success, left for Manchester City during the offseason. Hampton was crowned the best women’s goalkeeper.
The men’s and women’s Gerd Müller trophies for the top scorers went to Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor and Viktor Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal this summer from Sporting Portugal after a prolific season.
Paris St-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele has won the Ballon d’Or, the award for the best player in the world, for the first time.
The 28-year-old France forward scored 35 goals and made 14 assists in 53 matches for PSG last season as they won the treble, including their first Champions League.
He was the joint top scorer in Ligue 1, with 21 goals, and named the French top flight and Champions League player of the year.
And he also helped PSG to the Club World Cup final where they lost to Chelsea in New Jersey.
Dembele, who beat Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal to the award, was able to attend the ceremony in Paris despite the fact his team were playing on Monday evening.
The forward is currently sidelined through injury, meaning he missed PSG’s 1-0 home defeat by Marseille in a game which was rearranged because of a storm.
The Spanish midfielder missed the majority of last season due to injury and will miss the start of the new campaign.
Midfielder Rodri is recovering from a “big injury” sustained during the Club World Cup, likely limiting the Ballon d’Or winner’s playing time in the early stages of the new Premier League season, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says.
Guardiola did not disclose the details of the injury but said the 29-year-old Spain international picked up the problem during City’s 4-3 loss against the Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in the round of 16 of the Club World Cup in July.
British media reported Rodri has suffered a groin injury.
Rodri only made his return to competitive action in May after eight months out of action due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
“Rodri is getting better, but he had a big injury in the last game against Al Hilal,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday before Saturday’s friendly match against the Italian side Palermo.
“He has trained better in the last few days. Hopefully after the international break [in September], he will be really fit.
“Hopefully in these [first three Premier League] games, he can play some minutes, but what is important is that he doesn’t have pain because we don’t want Rodri coming back injured. We will try desperately to avoid that.
“He has been training the last two sessions with us, and that’s good.”
City, who finished third last season, begin their Premier League campaign away against Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 16.
Nine players from treble-winning Paris Saint-Germain have been nominated for the men’s Ballon d’Or this year, along with the club’s coach Luis Enrique, as France Football announced its list of nominees.
Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha are all on the list of 30 players nominated on Thursday for the big prize.
Other nominees include Barcelona’s Raphinha (34 goals, 25 assists), Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (34 goals, 23 assists), who was named Premier League Player of the Season, and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (34 goals, five assists).
Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele celebrates with the trophy after winning the Champions League [Peter Cziborra/Reuters]
Scott McTominay, who won Serie A’s Most Valuable Player after guiding Napoli to the title, was also nominated as the first Scotsman in 38 years to make the shortlist. Barca’s Lamine Yamal (18 goals, 25 assists) made the cut while the 18-year-old winger was also nominated for the Kopa Trophy for best Under-21 player, an award he won last year.
Five England players were nominated for the women’s Ballon d’Or after their Euros triumph, including goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson.
Marta, who came out of retirement to lead Brazil to the women’s Copa America title at the age of 39, was also nominated. Along with Luis Enrique, Enzo Maresca, who guided Chelsea to the Club World Cup title, and Liverpool’s Arne Slot, who won the Premier League crown in his first season at the club, were nominated for the men’s Coach of the Year award.
The former spent most of last season injured with Manchester City, while Bonmati was a defeated finalist at Euro 2025 as England overcame Spain.
Current Ballon d’Or Women’s holder Aitana Bonmati looks dejected after Spain’s Euro 2025 defeat by England [Bernadett Szabo/Reuters]
The women’s coach nominees are led by Sonia Bompastor, who won a domestic treble at Chelsea, Renee Slegers, who took Arsenal to their second Champions League crown, and Sarina Wiegman, after she helped England retain their Euros title.
Ballon d’Or nominations in full
Men: Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Desire Doue, Denzel Dumfries, Serhou Guirassy, Viktor Gyokeres, Erling Haaland, Achraf Hakimi, Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Robert Lewandowski, Alexis Mac Allister, Lautaro Martinez, Kylian Mbappe, Scott McTominay, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Michael Olise, Cole Palmer, Pedri, Raphinha, Declan Rice, Fabian Ruiz, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Vinicius Jr, Vitinha, Florian Wirtz, Lamine Yamal
Men’s coach of the year: Antonio Conte, Luis Enrique, Hansi Flick, Enzo Maresca, Arne Slot
Women’s coach of the year: Sonia Bompastor, Arthur Elias, Justine Madugu, Renee Slegers, Sarina Wiegman
Men’s club of the year: Barcelona, Botafogo, Chelsea, Liverpool, Paris St Germain
Women’s club of the year: Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea, OL Lyonnes, Orlando Pride
Yashin trophy men: Alisson Becker, Yassine Bounou, Lucas Chevalier, Thibaut Courtois, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Emi Martinez, Jan Oblak, David Raya, Matz Sels, Yann Sommer
CARLOS BALEBA isn’t just here to make up the numbers, he’s chasing football’s ultimate individual prize and wants to leave an indelible mark on the game.
The 21-year-old Brighton midfielder is full confidence and charm as he reveals his dream of getting to the top of world football from his home in Hove after inviting me over for an interview.
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Carlos Baleba has wasted little time in settling into the Premier LeagueCredit: Rex
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Baleba is the latest midfielder being linked with a move away from BrightonCredit: INSTAGRAM @carlos_baleba
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Baleba was born in the same town as Samuel Eto’o in CameroonCredit: AFP
Baleba is dreaming of winning the Ballon d’Or, and says praise from Declan Rice and inspiration from Rodri’s success have convinced him it’s possible.
He told SunSport in an exclusive interview: “Declan Rice, Matheus Cunha, Joelinton, they’ve all told me I’ve got it in me.
“I want to win the Ballon d’Or like Rodri.
“I watched him during the Euros and before his injury I played against him and time I got the ball, he was right in front of me.
“It was my first game against Manchester City, and it was very difficult.
“He made it so hard to dribble or pass. That showed his class.
“His success has opened the door for midfielders like us to believe we can win the Ballon d’Or someday.”
Baleba is already making waves with his performances. The Cameroonian is the only midfielder in Europe’s top five leagues this season to register 30+ tackles, 30+ interceptions, 30+ clearances, 30+ take-ons, and 30+ aerial duels won, a stat line that shows just how complete his game is.
But for now, Baleba is focused on developing and not paying attention to the rumour mill.
Brighton players in tunnel post match after beating Bournemouth 2-1
He said: “Yes, I can get to the very top of world football.
“But I need to stay focused, stay calm, not rush, and not let what people write get in my head. If I keep working hard, I can be like Luka Modric or Toni Kroos, I just need to stay grounded.”
The Brighton star’s journey is nothing short of remarkable so far. Just three years ago, he was still in Cameroon, uncertain about his future.
When he finally got his breakthrough move to Lille, tragedy struck, he lost his mother, he says it was sudden and quick. It’s a pain that still drives him.
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Baleba spent just a season in France before Brighton made their moveCredit: Getty
He revealed: “It was very difficult for me because I didn’t see my mum. I wanted her next to me, but when I signed for Brighton, she wasn’t here.
“That’s why the first season was really hard. I thought about her a lot. But I vowed that I would be the best version of myself and go as far as I can in my career.”
The Premier League is the dream destination for many young African players, but Baleba warns it’s not for the faint-hearted.
“The intensity, if you don’t run, you cannot play in the Premier League. That’s the truth. You have to be willing to put in the hard work.”
What makes Baleba stand out isn’t just his football, it’s his effort to adapt to a new culture and language.
His English is still a work in progress, but he’s proud of the steps he’s taking to settle in, even if the British weather isn’t always his cup of tea.
“I love it here, to be honest. My favourite English food is the English breakfast, if I’m allowed to say that!.
“But the weather is the only issue, it changes all the time.”
Brighton will be hoping Baleba can continue his meteoric rise, following in the footsteps of midfield stars like Alexis Mac Allister, Yves Bissouma, and Moises Caicedo.
All arrived as unknowns but left as stars. The Cameroonian might just be the next one off the Seagulls’ midfield conveyor belt, and if he keeps dreaming big, he could go even further.
