PSG Dominates 2025 FIFA The Best awards: A Night of Parisian Power and Surprising Snubs
Paris Saint-Germain,a powerhouse in European football,has once again cemented its status,this time by sweeping a notable portion of the prestigious 2025 FIFA The Best Football Awards. The ceremony, held on December 16, 2025, saw the French giants claim multiple top honors, highlighting their exceptional season and the individual brilliance of their stars.
While the glitz and glamour of the awards ceremony are usually a highlight, this year’s event felt somewhat subdued, lacking the vibrant interaction and presence of the athletes themselves. Hosts Alessandro del Piero and Melanie Winiger kept the proceedings moving, but the absence of manny of the night’s honorees was noticeable. Even Luis Enrique, currently in Qatar with PSG for the Intercontinental Cup clash against Flamengo, was unable to attend, sending his assistant, Rafael Pol, to accept his award. Pol’s quick acceptance in a tracksuit, a nod to his team’s busy schedule, underscored the demanding nature of modern professional football.
The name “PSG” echoed frequently throughout the short ceremony, a testament to the club’s remarkable success. Ousmane Dembélé was a standout,earning the coveted Best Player award,triumphing over Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé. This victory is especially significant for Dembélé, who has found a new lease on life in Paris after a career marked by flashes of brilliance often hampered by injuries. His ability to consistently perform at the highest level this season has been a key factor in PSG’s dominance.
Manager Luis Enrique also received well-deserved recognition, being named Best Coach. His tactical acumen and ability to integrate new talent have been instrumental in PSG’s consistent success. He beat out strong competition from Arne Slot, who has revitalized Liverpool, and Hansi Flick, who has brought stability to Barcelona.
The defensive strength of PSG was further acknowledged with Gianluigi Donnarumma being voted Best Goalkeeper.Despite his recent transfer to Manchester City this summer, his outstanding performances for PSG in the preceding season earned him this accolade. This move to City, a fellow elite club, further solidifies Donnarumma’s position among the world’s elite shot-stoppers.
The dominance of PSG was perhaps most evident in the selection of the year’s best eleven. A staggering six players from the Parisian club were included:
* Goalkeeper: Gianluigi donnarumma (PSG/Manchester City)
* Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Pacho (PSG), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
* midfielders: Nuno Mendes (PSG), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Jude bellingham (Real Madrid), Vitinha (PSG)
* Forwards: Pedri (Barcelona), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)
This remarkable depiction in the team of the year underscores the collective strength and depth of the PSG squad. The inclusion of players like Hakimi, Mendes, and Vitinha highlights their consistent contributions throughout the season, while Dembélé’s presence in the forward line is a clear reward for his match-winning performances.
Potential Areas for Further Inquiry:
* The “Synthetic” Ceremony: The article touches on the lack of interaction. How can future awards ceremonies better engage the athletes and create a more memorable experience for fans? Could virtual reality or interactive elements bridge the gap for absent players?
* PSG’s Long-Term Dominance: With such a strong showing, what are the key factors contributing to PSG’s sustained success? Is it their financial backing, scouting network, or coaching philosophy? How does this compare to the sustained dominance seen in American sports leagues like the NFL or NBA?
* The Impact of Player Transfers: Donnarumma’s award despite a summer transfer raises questions about how such awards are judged. Should performance be solely based on the club where the majority of the award period was spent, or does a high-profile move carry weight? This is a common debate in American sports, where player movement is frequent.
* The Rise of Young Talent: The presence of Lamine Yamal and Pedri from Barcelona, alongside Dembélé, highlights the emergence of exciting young talent. How are these players being managed and developed to reach their full potential, and what can American academies learn from their pathways?
While the 2025 FIFA The Best Awards may have lacked some of the personal touch, the results speak volumes about the current landscape of global football. PSG’s remarkable haul of awards serves as a powerful statement of their dominance, setting a high bar for their rivals in the seasons to come.
twsrc%5Etfw”>#TheBest FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper 2025! ??
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 16, 2025
Regarding the Puskas award, which rewards the best goal of the year, the winner was Santiago Montiel, Independiente player, for the goal he scored in a league game with a bicycle kick from outside the box. Among those nominated was a Portuguese, Kevin Rodrigues, a full-back from Kasımpasa.
?? The winner of the Puskas Award was Santiago Montiel with his overhead kick goal.pic.twitter.com/B21dyZyilK
— Sabah Spor (@sabahspor) December 16, 2025
In the women’s awards, Spanish Aitana bonmati, Barcelona midfielderwas considered “The Best” in 2025, having already won this award in 2023 and 2024 – the other two finalists were the Spanish Alexia Putellas (Barcelona) and Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal). The dutch Sarina Wiegman, England coach, was elected the best coach, the Mexican Lizbeth ovalle received the Marta award for the best goal.
Career recovered
The first half of this season may not be very good for Ousmane Dembélé – he was once again heavily affected by injuries and still only scored three goals in 13 games,almost all of them as a substitute. But 2024-25 was truly a season of total advancement for the 28-year-old French striker, his best ever at all levels: 35 goals and 14 assists were his individual numbers, decisive for the multiple conquests of PSG, French champion, winner of both cups, the Super Cup and the Champions League. He had already won the Ballon d’Or France Footballhas now been named “The Best” by FIFA.
It could be said that it was in Paris that Dembélé managed to recover a career that seemed out of order at his previous club, Barcelona. Hired in 2017 from Borussia Dortmund for a total of 135 million to make Neymar (who had gone to PSG) forget, Dembélé spent very challenging years in Catalonia, with many injuries that limited his impact at “Barça”. In 2023, the “blaugrana” they sold him to PSG for less than half the cost price (50 million) and Dembélé was reborn, becoming the main reference of the Parisians’ mobile attack and filling with distinction the void left by the departure of Mbappé, who was never the best in the world, not even for the France FootballFIFA is not para.
