By; Oluwatobi Adewale
The 69th balloon d’or delivered unforgetable moments that transformed the course of history. On the 22nd of September at the theatre du chatelet, France witnessed the dazzling event. At the event, outstanding footballers were celebrated. The event started with the arrival of football’s biggest stars on the red carpet with cameras giving frequent flashes at the attendees. Fans were also present giving cheers and anticipating the footballer that would be crowned the best in world of football .
The ceremony officially started with the hosts, Kate Scott and Ruud Gullit welcoming the audience. At the early hours of the event, the kopa trophy for the young best player was awarded which the recipient was Lamine Yamal, followed by the Yashine trophy for best goal keeper which was awarded to Giankuigi Donaruma. The biggest cheers were reserved for the grand finale as Ousmane Dembele was awarded the 2025 balon d’or for men while Aitana Bonmatî etched her name into history by winning her third consecutive balloon d’or female .
Ousmane Dembele in his speech, attributed his triumph to his teammates, coach, fans, and family members. He further encouraged the younger generation never to give up, noting that although his career had been filled with ups and downs, persistence has now seen him crowned the best player in the world.
Other notable award given at the event include Men’s Gerd muler award (Top scorer) : Victor Gyokeres
Men’s club if the year :Paris Saint German (PSG)
Men best coach of the year : Luis Enrique (PSG)
Humanitarian award : Luis Enrique (PSG). The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony transcends beyond recognitions and trophies, but about stories of hard work, persistence and resilience, Dembélé and Bonmatí showed that football’s greatest prize belongs to those who never stop believing, making this year’s ceremony unforgettable.
