For the third time in a row
Aitana Bonmatí wins the balloon d’Or
Updated on September 22, 2025 – 11:32 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The balloon d’Or has also been awarded among women since 2018. The title bearer comes from Spain again this year.
The winner of this year’s balloon d’Or féminin is certain: Aitana Bonmatí can look forward to the award for the third time in series. The 27-year-old from FC Barcelona received the Golden Ball in 2023 and 2024. This year she prevails against her Spanish teammate Mariona Caldentey, who took second place.
Bonmatí and her club were able to secure the Spanish championship for the sixth time in a row last season. In the Champions League, she reached the final with Barça after the victories in 2021, 2023 and 2024, but lost it 0-1 against Arsenal.
At the European Championship in summer, Bonmatí stood on the lawn for all six games for the Spanish national team, although it was brought to a clinic in June because of viral meningitis. In the semi -finals against Germany, the midfielder scored the decisive goal in the extension. However, the final against England was lost – also because Bonmatí failed her nerves in penalty shooting and she forgot her attempt. Nevertheless, she was named the tournament player. Now she can also look forward to the largest individual award in world football.
In the men, Ousmane Dembélé from Paris Saint-Germain won the award for the first time. He prevailed against Barcelona-Jungstar Lamine Yamal. The Germans nominated went away empty -handed in all categories.
Former Leverkusener Florian Wirtz from FC Liverpool took 29th place. He was the only German to make it to the final list of candidates. With Klara Bühl, the only German took 19th place.
The Englishman Hannah Hampton from Chelsea was recognized as the best goalkeeper. The German national keeper Ann-Katrin Berger from the US club Gotham FC, who had played a strong European Championship in summer, was also nominated.
Ex-national coach Hansi Flick from Spanish champion FC Barcelona was left out against Luis Enrique from PSG in the coach’s category.
The award is a choice of journalists. The prize, which is awarded by the magazine “France Football” together with the European Football Union UEFA, has existed since 1956 and has long been a award for Europe’s footballer of the year. At the same time, the World Association FIFA has honored world football players since 1991. Between 2010 and 2015, FIFA had been cooperated with the Amaury Group, which belongs to the “France Football”.