Lamine Yamal finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or behind Ousmane Dembele, while Barcelona’s Raphinha placed fifth.
FC Barcelona’s teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal narrowly missed out on the 2025 Ballon d’Or, finishing second to Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
The 18-year-old forward played a pivotal role in Barcelona’s domestic treble — winning La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup — while also helping Spain reach the UEFA Nations League final. Despite dazzling performances, Dembele’s Champions League success with PSG proved decisive.
“Finishing second in the Ballon d’Or rankings, at the tender age of 18, is an exceptional achievement,” Barca Universal noted, highlighting his progress from eighth place last year.
Barcelona teammate Raphinha secured fifth place, following Dembele, Yamal, PSG’s Vitinha, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. The Brazilian winger was instrumental in Barca’s treble-winning campaign but fell short of a podium finish.
For Yamal, observers say this marks the beginning of a glittering career, with many tipping him as a future Ballon d’Or winner.