PARIS, France (AFP)–France forward Ousmane Dembele on Monday won the men’s Ballon d’Or, the most prestigious individual prize in football, rewarding his starring role in the Paris Saint-Germain side that lifted the Champions League trophy last season.

Dembele, 28, pipped Barcelona and Spain teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to the prize at a ceremony in Paris and succeeds Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, who won the trophy in 2024.

The former Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona winger, who was part of the France team that won the World Cup in 2018, scored 35 goals in all competitions as PSG won a French league and cup double as well as the Champions League for the first time in their history.

“I really don’t have the words. It was an incredible season with PSG,” said an emotional Dembele, who said his club coach Luis Enrique had been “like a father”.

“It is an individual trophy but it was really the collective that won it,” added Dembele, who was one of nine members of the triumphant PSG team from last season nominated for the prize.

“The Ballon d’Or has not really been an objective for me in my career but I worked hard for the team to win the Champions League.”

The 18-year-old Yamal, who was a teammate of Dembele’s at Barcelona when he first broke through in 2023, earlier won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 – the second year running he has taken that award.