PSG‘s Dembele Crowned Ballon d’Or Winner, Bonmati Secures Third Consecutive Women’s Title
PARIS – Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele has been awarded teh 2024 Ballon d’Or, recognizing him as the world’s best male footballer. The proclamation came monday at the Theater du Chatelet in Paris, as his PSG teammates simultaneously competed in a Ligue 1 match against Marseille, delayed 24 hours due to inclement weather in southern France.
Dembele’s victory follows a standout season with PSG, culminating in a 5-0 triumph over Inter Milan in the Champions League final held in Munich – marking PSG’s first-ever European Cup win. “I really don’t have the words. It was an incredible season with PSG,” an emotional Dembele stated on stage. He also praised his manager, Luis Enrique, who was named club coach of the year, saying Enrique had been “like a father” to him.
Dembele, one of nine PSG players nominated for the prize, emphasized the team’s collective achievement. “It is an individual trophy but it was really the collective that won it,” he said. ”The Ballon d’Or has not really been an objective for me in my career but I worked hard for the team to win the Champions League.”
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, 18, a former teammate of Dembele’s, received the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 – his second consecutive win of the award.
In the women’s competition, Spain’s Aitana Bonmati secured her third consecutive Ballon d’Or, edging out international teammate Mariona Caldentey. Bonmati’s achievement comes despite losing both the women’s Champions League final with Barcelona and the Women’s Euro 2025 final with Spain (defeated on penalties by England). She was named player of the tournament at the Euros, overcoming a recent bout of viral meningitis. “I am very proud,” Bonmati said, attributing her success to her teams. “I think I am here for the third consecutive time because of the teams I play in, so all of this is because of them.”
Alessia Russo of England and Arsenal finished third in the women’s voting. Bonmati’s three consecutive wins follow back-to-back victories for Barcelona and Spain teammate Alexia Putellas. Ada Hegerberg and Megan Rapinoe are the only other players to have won the Women’s Ballon d’Or since its inception in 2018.
Other awards presented included the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper, claimed by Gianluigi Donnarumma (formerly of PSG, now with Manchester City), and the best women’s goalkeeper award, won by England’s Hannah Hampton. Sarina Wiegman,manager of the England women’s national team,was named best women’s coach,and Vicky Lopez of Barcelona and Spain was named best young women’s player.
The Ballon d’Or is determined by a vote of journalists, with portrayal from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations for the men’s award and the top 50 for the women’s.
