Ousmane Dembele won the Ballon d’Or on Monday night, making him the best football player in the world

Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain won the Ballon d’Or on Monday night, capping an incredible season in which he led the French powerhouses to their first-ever UEFA Champions League championship, earning him the title of finest football player in the world.

The 28-year-old Frenchman, who thrived under coach Luis Enrique’s tutelage, was the first since Karim Benzema in 2022 and the sixth Frenchman to win the coveted prize.

He finished third, followed by PSG colleague Vitinha and Barcelona’s youthful wonder Lamine Yamal in second place.

When Dembele accepted the trophy from Brazilian great Ronaldinho at the ceremony in Paris, he remarked, “This moment is exceptional, I have no words for it.”

“I want to express my gratitude to my coach, teammates, the president, PSG, and my family.” This prize is ours collectively.

The France player, who sobbed as he thanked his mother on stage, also talked about how he went from Stade Rennais to international fame and pledged to compete for another World Cup championship with Didier Deschamps’ team the following year.

It was a night of supremacy for PSG, who took home numerous awards following a record season that saw them win the UEFA Super Cup, the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France. Enrique was chosen as Coach of the Year, the French champions were awarded Team of the Season, and the Yashin Trophy went to former goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is currently with Manchester City.

Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of PSG, stated, “Everyone at the club has worked hard to achieve this.” “The team employs both stars and young players. It is a group accomplishment.

On the women’s stage, England’s coach Sarina Wiegman won Women’s Coach of the Year after leading her team to the European championship, while Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won her third straight Ballon d’Or.