Dembélé wins the Onze d’Or, defeating Lamine Yamal on the eve of the Ballon d’Or
Ousmane Dembélé has been crowned the best player in the world by Onze Mondial readers, winning the prestigious Onze d’Or 2025. The PSG forward triumphed by a slim margin over Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, just days before the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.
A Tight Race Between Dembélé and Lamine Yamal
The 27-year-old Frenchman, who was PSG’s main attacking reference with 49 goal contributions last season, earned 32.5% of the votes. Lamine Yamal followed closely with 30%, while Kylian Mbappé completed the podium at 12.5%.
Full top-10 ranking:
- Ousmane Dembélé (PSG) – 32.5%
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) – 30%
- Kylian Mbappé (PSG) – 12.5%
- Achraf Hakimi (PSG) – 7%
- Pedri González (Barcelona) – 5.6%
- Raphinha (Barcelona) – 4.7%
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – 3.9%
- Nicolò Barella (Inter) – 1.2%
- William Saliba (Arsenal) – 1.2%
- Lautaro Martínez (Inter) – 0.9%
- Vinicius Júnior (Real Madrid) – 0.5%
Brazilians in the Spotlight
Only Raphinha cracked the top 10, after leading Barcelona in goal involvements last season. Vinicius Júnior just missed out, finishing 11th with 0.5% of the votes, despite having won FIFA’s The Best award last year.
Dembélé Credits Luis Enrique for His Comeback
At the award ceremony, Dembélé reflected on his rise at Paris Saint-Germain, following struggles during his Barcelona spell. He attributed his resurgence to Luis Enrique’s coaching methods:
“It’s the coach who tells me not to give defenders or goalkeepers time to maneuver. I’m always alert. My teammates also help a lot in pressing when we don’t have the ball,” Dembélé highlighted.
Ballon d’Or Ceremony Approaches
The win intensifies the debate: can Dembélé also beat Lamine Yamal in the Ballon d’Or race? The award, presented by France Football magazine, will be held on Monday, September 22nd, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Last season, Manchester City’s Rodri won the Ballon d’Or in a decision that generated controversy, while Vinicius Júnior took home FIFA’s The Best. For 2025, Dembélé, Yamal, Raphinha, and Vini are among the leading contenders.
