Ballon d’Or 2025: Gareth Bale names player to award

Former Real Madrid winger, Gareth Bale, has picked Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or award.

Bale believes the France winger is the favourite for the individual accolade “by some way”.

Dembele will have to battle for the votes with Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) and compatriot Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid).

He has scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists, as PSG won the Ligue 1 and two domestic trophies.

PSG also thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 to lift the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Les Parisiens also have the chance of winning the Club World Cup on Sunday, when they play Chelsea in the final.

Speaking to ESPN, Bale shared his thoughts on the 2025 Ballon d’Or. When asked if Dembele is the favourite to win the award, the Welsh icon said: “Yes, I think so. I think you also have to look what the teams have won.

“I think everyone obviously talks about individuals, but I think if you are winning those trophies as well, you’re winning the Champions league, obviously they’ve won their domestic treble, if they win again the Club World Cup, it’s hard to see anyone else from the season he’s had and he’s transformed them into trophies as well as the season he’s had. It does make him the front runner by some way in my opinion.”

Ballon d’Or 2025: Gareth Bale names player to award