Ousmane Dembélé wins men's Ballon d'Or as Aitana Bonmatí joins elite club featuring Lionel Messi

Ousmane Dembélé has claimed the Ballon d'Or on a night of triumph for his Paris St Germain club, while serial trophy winner Aitana Bonmatí of Barcelona took home the women's award.

The 28-year-old France forward Dembélé, who needed time and the guidance of PSG coach Luis Enrique to fulfil his potential as he inspired the capital club to their first Champions League title last season, became the sixth French player to lift the award and the first since Karim Benzema in 2022.

He beat Spain and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, with his PSG teammate Vitinha taking third place. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah finished fourth and did not attend the ceremony.

"What I have just experienced is exceptional, I have no words for it, what happened with PSG. I feel a bit of stress, it's not easy to win this trophy, and to have it presented to me by Ronaldinho, a legend of football, is exceptional," Dembélé said on stage at a Paris ceremony where he was supported by several teammates, the others being in Marseille for the Ligue 1 clash against OM which they lost 1-0.

"I want to thank PSG, who came to get me in 2023. It's an incredible family. The president, Nasser (Al-Khelaifi) is like a father to me. I also want to thank all the staff and the coach, who have been exceptional with me — he too is like a father — and all my teammates.

"We have practically won everything together. You supported me in the good and the difficult times. This individual trophy is one the team has won collectively," he added, later bursting into tears when he thanked his mother, who joined him on stage.

He also mentioned his first club, Stade Rennais, and the national team, vowing to win another World Cup next year with coach Didier Deschamps after their 2018 victory.

Dembélé's prize was one of several for PSG, who won the treble of Champions League, Ligue 1 and the French Cup last season as well as the UEFA Super Cup this year.

The French champions were named team of the season, Luis Enrique was voted best coach and Gianluigi Donnarumma, who left for Manchester City in the close season, was recognised as top goalkeeper with the Yashin trophy.

"It's the result of hard work, by everyone at the club," PSG president Al-Khelaifi said. "We've got young players, and stars who work for the team. It's a collective achievement."

Spain's Bonmatí, the Champions League player of the season, won the women's Ballon d'Or for the third time in a row.

Bonmatí won ahead of her Spain teammate Mariona Caldentey.

She is only the third player in the award's history to win three in a row after Michel Platini (1983–85) and Lionel Messi (2009–12).

"I owe Barcelona everything, this is the club of my life."

She won a domestic treble with Barcelona and also reached the Champions League final.

Barcelona has won the last five women's awards but it was expected an Englishwoman would win for the first time.

England won the Euros and Arsenal took the Women's Champions League. But with five England players among the women's top 10 nominees, the highest-placed was Alessia Russo at third.

Australia's Steph Catley was also shortlisted for the award, finishing 29th in the voting.

Catley was named the fourth-highest-rated defender in the women's game.

While she did not take home individual spoils, Catley made the stage at the Ballon d'Or ceremony after her Arsenal side was named the women's team of the year.

Barcelona forward Vicky Lopez won the women's Kopa trophy and Sarina Wiegman, who led England to European victory, took the Johan Cruyff award for best women's coach.

The men's and women's Gerd Müller trophies for the top scorers went to Barcelona's Ewa Pajor and Viktor Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal this summer from Sporting Portugal after a prolific season.

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