* Award comes days after being named Global Muslim Celebrity of the Year
Ousmane Dembele has landed the prestigious FIFA The Best award after helping Paris Saint-Germain secure their first-ever Champions League title and a domestic Treble. Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati was also recognised at the ceremony in Doha, Qatar for another superb year, which included winning a domestic treble with her club and being named Player of the Tournament at Euro 2025.
Dembele cleans up once again
Dembele capped a truly brilliant 2024-2025 season by adding the prestigious The Best FIFA Men’s Player to the Ballon d’Or award he landed earlier this year, solidifying his status as the world’s top footballer. The France forward was the driving force behind Paris Saint-Germain’s historic continental treble, as the club secured the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, and their first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy. Beyond the Treble, he also helped his team win the Trophee des Champions and the Super Cup, completing an unprecedented haul of five trophies in a single calendar year across the 2024-2025 season and the start of the 2025-2026 season.
Dembele’s exceptional performances, which included 35 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, saw him beat Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal to both top individual honors. While the talented 18-year-old Yamal had a phenomenal year himself, winning a domestic treble with Barcelona and the Euro 2024 with Spain, ultimately securing the Kopa Trophy for the best young player, Dembele’s leadership in delivering PSG’s elusive first Champions League title proved decisive in the voting. His resurgence, from injury-prone talent to global superstar, made his victory a popular and compelling story.
Winning Global Muslim Celebrity
Dembele’s impact is being felt far beyond the football pitch. Recently named Muslim Celebrity of the Year 2024/2025 by Muslim News Nigeria, the French star was recognised not only for his stellar performance in football but also for his unwavering commitment to Islamic values and humanitarian causes. Dembele has consistently shown a deep commitment to his faith, quietly upholding Islamic values in his public and private life. His charitable work in Mali and Mauritania, his countries of heritage, reflects a commendable sense of social responsibility. He also earned widespread respect from Muslims globally for his vocal support for the people of Palestine amid the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, further cementing his image as a principled and faith-driven role model.
How are the FIFA awards decided?
The Best FIFA Football Awards for men and women are decided through a voting system that incorporates four major sectors of the football community. The decision is split equally between national team coaches, national team captains, specialist media representatives from each territory, and fans registered onthe FIFA website. Each of these four groups accounts for exactly 25 per cent of the total vote. Voters from these groups select their top three candidates for each category, awarding five points for first place, three for second, and one for third. To maintain integrity, nominated captains and coaches are prohibited from voting for themselves. The player or coach with the most cumulative points across all categories is declared the winner. – Goal.com
Nigerian Muslim Personalities of the Year 2024/2025
Global Muslim Personalities of the Year 2024/2025
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