The award was presented virtually, unlike the ceremonies of previous years, and the Italian was very happy to receive it: “Thank you all very much. It is a true honor to receive this award, I am very, very happy. I hope to continue in the same way and do even more. Again, thank you all, it is a beautiful honor“.
When arguing the reasons for the choice, the official FIFA website largely highlighted the goalkeeper’s performance in the successful 2024/25 season that he signed with his previous club, PSG, which was consecrated champion of Ligue 1, the French Cup and the Champions Leaguethe latter for the first time in its history.
“Donnarumma enjoyed a great fortune during the last yearwinning trophies in four different competitions with his former club, Paris Saint-Germain. The highlight was, without a doubt, his clean sheet in the 5-0 victory over Inter in the UEFA Champions League final on May 31, 2025, although the former AC Milan star had had several excellent performances in the previous rounds”, contributed the highest entity in world football.
The other archers nominated for the award, in addition to Martínez, were Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), David Raya (Arsenal), Yann Sommer (Inter) y Wojciech Szczesny (Barcelona).
In the women’s section, the winner was Hannah Hamptoninstrumental figure of Chelsea domestic treble champion FA Cup, League Cup and Women’s Super League (WSL) for the sixth year in a row, and the defense of the title of the Euro Cup with the English team.
Donnarumma too comes from receiving the Lev Yashin awardawarded at the Ballon d’Or gala in September, which he had already obtained in 2021.
Finally, the score that the Italian goalkeeper achieved after the balance of the voting of the different groups of participants gave him 28, while Courtois got 20 and Becker closed the podium, with 9.
Donnarumma added 694 points from the coaches, 781 from the captains, 818 from the international press and 957,564 from the fans. Meanwhile, the Belgian obtained 466, 395, 287 and 702,389, in that order, while Becker accumulated 205, 153, 191, and 189,470.
