The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony has come and gone, but the dust continues to settle on who should have walked away with the men’s top prize.
Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembélé captured his first award after never previously being shortlisted for the honor. Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal finished second, though he won the Kopa Trophy for the second year running, given to the best player under the age of 21. Yamal became not only the first player to win the award twice, but in consecutive years as well.
Javier Tebas, the La Liga president, believes Yamal was snubbed for the Ballon d’Or simply because of his age.






