L'Equipe (France) called Dembele's victory "a historic moment". The newspaper described that the PSG midfielder appeared confidently on the red carpet and finally stepped onto the podium of glory, becoming the 6th French player in history to win the Ballon d'Or, after legends such as platini, Zidane or Benzema.
This is a completely deserved reward after an explosive season with PSG with 4 titles, the newspaper emphasized.
Not only praising, the French media also recalled Dembele's journey of many ups and downs. From his days struggling at Dortmund or Barca with continuous injuries, to being doubted even in the PSG squad, the 28-year-old player has overcome everything to become a key striker under coach Luis Enrique. L'Equipe described: "Dembele cried when receiving the trophy, the tears of determination and rebirth".
Meanwhile, Marca (Spain) felt sorry for Lamine Yamal - the 18-year-old talent of Barcelona, who finished second in the race. According to the newspaper, Yamal, although winning the Kopa title for the second consecutive time, "lost" the Ballon d'Or because he was so confident that he had even booked a party in advance. Marca commented: "The future is still open for Yamal. If you stay humble and maintain your form, you will have many opportunities to step up to the top.
In the same vein, BBC Sport (UK) recognized Yamal as a " New Generation Symbol", but affirmed that Dembele won thanks to his comprehensiveness in playing style and leadership role at PSG.
International media agreed that Dembele's victory was the result of extraordinary determination, while Yamal's failure was just a stepping stone for the future journey. With the 2025 Ballon d'Or award, Dembele not only marked an individual milestone but also brought great pride to French football.
