3 w. ago Ousmane Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or is a human victory amid the toxic theatre of football | Barney Ronay

The ceremony in Paris was reliably nauseating but the PSG star’s award was born out of hard work and tactical intelligenceEven after a few hours of sober reflection it was still hard to identify exactly which bit of the reliably nauseating 69th Ballon d’Or ceremony was the single most nauseating bit of the reliably nauseating 69th Ballon d’Or ceremony. One thing is certain. We have a powerful shortlist here. The competition is generational. But this is also the elite, the god tier. And as ever there must be a winner.Was it the first nauseating thing at the Théâtre du Châtelet; the crowd of otherwise normal Parisians transformed into fame-zombies, thronged against the barriers four hours before the ceremony, whooping and gawping as bored-looking blokes moved broadcast boxes around, baying at passing female TV presenters, spectating the buildup to an awards do in a state of celebrity delirium? Or was the most nauseating thing the pre-ceremony outrage in the French media, who railed at...

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3 w. ago Football Daiily | A big night at the Ballon d’Or but are trinkets and stats all that matter?

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Fairness and football are rarely good bedfellows. At the glitzy Golden Ball ceremony in Paris on Monday night, there was further evidence of this as Aitana Bonmatí collected the women’s award for the third year in a row. “I still can’t believe it. Incredible,” cheered the Spain playmaker. “Thank you for this it really could have gone to anyone.” Except it didn’t. You see, France Football has a tendency to overlook more deserving characters by focusing on talent, attitude and output. The Edinburgh comedy award has a rule where no one can take home the bacon twice, allowing others to get their moment in the spotlight, too, and preventing Football Daily’s questionable comedy heroes from collecting it annually. It doesn’t matter that Bonmatí has been a consistent pinnacle of excellence in the game, driving Barcelona to the Liga F title for a sixth straight year and recovering from viral meningitis to play at the Euros. She also had a pe...

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3 w. ago Football Daily | A big night at the Ballon d’Or but are trinkets and stats all that matter?

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Fairness and football are rarely good bedfellows. At the glitzy Golden Ball ceremony in Paris on Monday night, there was further evidence of this as Aitana Bonmatí collected the women’s award for the third year in a row. “I still can’t believe it. Incredible,” cheered the Spain playmaker. “Thank you for this it really could have gone to anyone.” Except it didn’t. You see, France Football has a tendency to overlook more deserving characters by focusing on talent, attitude and output. The Edinburgh comedy award has a rule where no one can take home the bacon twice, allowing others to get their moment in the spotlight, too, and preventing Football Daily’s questionable comedy heroes from collecting it annually. It doesn’t matter that Bonmatí has been a consistent pinnacle of excellence in the game, driving Barcelona to the Liga F title for a sixth straight year and recovering from viral meningitis to play at the Euros. She also had a pe...

Politics

3 w. ago PSG clean up at the Ballon d’Or while losing to Marseille in Ligue 1

Luis Enrique, Ousmane Dembélé and PSG won awards in Paris but the real action was taking place at the Vélodrome By Get French Football NewsOn a night when Paris Saint-Germain were named the best team in the world, their centre-forward the best player in the world, and their man in the dugout the best manager in the world, they were second best at the Vélodrome, losing a league game in Marseille for the first time in 14 years.The 21st night of September will live long in the memory of the Marseillais. It was the night that an apocalyptic deluge engulfed the city and the wider Var region, bringing the city to a standstill and forcing the postponement of the heavily anticipated classique. The sheer strength of the storm dispelled any notion of a wider anti-PSG conspiracy from the local authorities, who made the decision just hours before kick-off and after Luis Enrique’s side had already arrived in the city. PSG retraced their steps, returning to Paris and then making the trip back dow...

Politics

3 w. ago Ballon d’Or 2025 LIVE: Results and latest updates as Ousmane Dembele pips Lamine Yamal to award

PSG star wins race for world football’s biggest individual prize

Events

3 w. ago 'Something strange has happened here': Lamine Yamal's father blasts Ousmane Dembele Ballon d'Or triumph

Spanish star was beaten to top award by French forward

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3 w. ago Ballon d’Or 2025 LIVE: Ousmane Dembele pays emotional tribute to his mother after winning top prize

Ousmane Dembele has been crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner ahead of Lamine Yamal

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3 w. ago Ballon d'Or RECAP: Live updates as Ousmane Dembele is crowned the winner of the top prize ahead of Lamine Yamal 

Re-live Mail Sport's live blog for the latest news and updates from the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris as Ousmane Dembele led candidates to take home the prestigious award.

Politics

3 w. ago Watch: Lamine Yamal shows respect to Ousmane Dembele after Ballon d'Or 2025 result

The Barcelona youngster was pipped to the main award on Monday night by the PSG star

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3 w. ago Ballon d'Or 2025: Ousmane Dembele breaks down into tears during emotional acceptance speech

Years of hard work have paid off for the Frenchman as he won the 2025 Ballon d’Or award

Politics

3 w. ago Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana ­Bonmatí land Ballon d’Or awards as England duo honoured

Bonmatí scoops top honour for third successive yearSarina Wiegman and Hannah Hampton win awardsOn a breathlessly glitzy night in Paris Ousmane Dembélé won the men’s Ballon d’Or, a moment of triumph that brought a fevered Théâtre du Châtelet to its feet and led to scenes of pyrotechnic celebration among the Paris Saint-Germain fans massed outside on the banks of the Seine.Victory in the top men’s award was a reflection both of PSG’s Champions League triumph and Dembélé’s own stellar form since Christmas. The vote also represents a startling turnaround in Dembélé’s own footballing arc, almost exactly 12 months on from being left out of the PSG squad to play Arsenal after a heated argument with his manager during a game at Rennes. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Ballon d'Or LIVE: Live updates as Ousmane Dembele is crowned the winner of the top prize ahead of Lamine Yamal 

Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest news and updates from the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris as Ousmane Dembele leads candidates to take home the prestigious award.

Politics

3 w. ago Ballon d’Or 2025: Dembélé and Bonmatí claim top awards, Wiegman and Hampton win prizes – live

England duo win manager and goalkeeper awardsGet in touch! Email michael.butler@theguardian.comThe Ballon d’Or is awarded by an international jury of specialised journalists, with one representative per country, from the top 100 in the latest Fifa rankings (before the lists are published) for men and the top 50 for women.Each juror selects ten players in descending order of merit from a list of 30 established by the editorial staff of France Football, members of the editorial staff of L’Équipe, the best juror from the previous edition – Costa Rica for the men’s Ballon d’Or, South Africa for the women’s Ballon d’Or – and Uefa ambassadors Luís Figo for the men’s trophy and Nadine Kessler for the women’s trophy. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Ballon d'Or 2025 rankings in full as Ousmane Dembele wins but Harry Kane outside top ten

Dembele picks up the award for first time after leading Paris Saint-Germain to Champions League success

Politics

3 w. ago Ballon d’Or 2025 LIVE: Latest updates and results as Ousmane Dembele pips Lamine Yamal to award

PSG star wins race for world football’s biggest individual prize

Events

3 w. ago Ballon d'Or 2025: Ousmane Dembele beats Lamine Yamal as Aitana Bonmati defends crown again

The Lionesses had five of the top ten in the women’s Ballon d’Or but it was a familiar winner

Politics

3 w. ago Ballon d’Or 2025 LIVE: Every award winner announced as football’s best is crowned

The countdown to the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner is underway and will be revealed during tonight’s ceremony in Paris

Events

3 w. ago Ballon d’Or 2025: Wiegman and Hampton win prizes, main player awards to come – live

England duo win manager and goalkeeper awardsFive England players in top 10 for women’s Ballon d’OrGet in touch! Email michael.butler@theguardian.comThe Ballon d’Or is awarded by an international jury of specialised journalists, with one representative per country, from the top 100 in the latest Fifa rankings (before the lists are published) for men and the top 50 for women.Each juror selects ten players in descending order of merit from a list of 30 established by the editorial staff of France Football, members of the editorial staff of L’Équipe, the best juror from the previous edition – Costa Rica for the men’s Ballon d’Or, South Africa for the women’s Ballon d’Or – and Uefa ambassadors Luís Figo for the men’s trophy and Nadine Kessler for the women’s trophy. Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago Ballon d'Or LIVE: Three Premier League stars in top 10 of rankings

Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest news and updates from the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris as Ousmane Dembele leads candidates to take home the prestigious award.

Politics

3 w. ago Ballon d’Or 2025 LIVE: Every award winner announced with Dembele and Yamal in running for top prize

The countdown to the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner is underway and will be revealed during tonight’s ceremony in Paris

Events