PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain and France forward Ousmane Dembele was awarded the Ballon d’Or on Monday, capping a stellar season in which he led his club to their first-ever Champions League title.
The 28-year-old was the catalyst for PSG’s historic European triumph, scoring a hat-trick in their dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the final. The Ballon d’Or is widely considered football’s most prestigious individual award.
“This is an incredible honor and a dream come true,” Dembele said after accepting the trophy. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates at PSG and the support of all our fans. Winning the Champions League with this club was a moment I’ll never forget.”
In the women’s category, Spain’s Aitana Bonmati secured her third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or. She beat out her national teammate Mariona Caldentey and England’s Alessia Russo for the award.
Other awards presented during the ceremony included:
Goalkeepers of the Year: England’s Hannah Hampton and Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma were named the top goalkeepers.
Best Young Players: Spain’s Lamine Yamal took home the men’s award, while teammate Salma Paralluelo won the women’s title.
Coaches of the Year: England’s Sarina Wiegman and PSG’s Luis Enrique were honored as the best coaches.
