The 28-year-old was the clear favourite after scoring 33 goals in all competitions last season, helping Luis Enrique's team lift the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the French Cup. The achievement marked PSG's second treble in their history and their first since 2020, underlining their dominance in French and European football.

The ceremony, held at the Chatelet Theatre, saw Dembele receive the award from Brazilian legend Ronaldinho, adding to the sense of occasion. In an emotional speech, Dembele thanked those who shaped his career.

"I am a little stressed to be honest," Dembele said. "I have received this award from one of the biggest legends of all time, I cannot believe this. This is thanks to the collective. I want to thank all my team-mates, I want to thank FC Barcelona, the club of my dreams. I played with Lionel Messi, I learned so much from him. To my mother, to my family, to my hometown Eure, this is for you."

The French forward also acknowledged national coach Didier Deschamps, adding: "Let's hope we can win the World Cup too."

Despite his Ballon d'Or triumph, Dembele was absent from PSG's league trip to Marseille due to injury. His team-mates slipped to a 1-0 defeat on Monday night, with Nayef Aguerd's early header sealing the points for the hosts. PSG remain second in Ligue 1, two points behind Monaco after six matches.

Dembele's PSG colleague Vitinha finished fourth in the Ballon d'Or rankings, while Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Barcelona's Raphinha also placed in the top five. Arsenal's women were named Club of the Year after their Champions League triumph, while new Gunners striker Viktor Gyokeres collected the Gerd Muller Trophy for his prolific scoring.

On the managerial side, England Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman received the Johan Cruyff Award and confirmed she would continue her long-term project with the national team.

For Barcelona, meanwhile, the night was a reminder of their tradition of producing Ballon d'Or contenders, with teenager Lamine Yamal widely tipped to compete for the prize in years to come.

Dembele's victory has not only reinforced PSG's growing reputation on the world stage but also underlined the importance of his career journey from Rennes to Barcelona and now Paris.

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