While the stars of world football gathered in Paris for the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday, September 22, 2025, a very different kind of celebration was taking place elsewhere in France.
In a room, a group of young footballers were glued to a television screen, eyes wide and nerves stretched as they waited for the final announcement.
When Ronaldinho stepped forward and announced Ousmane Dembele as the Ballon d’Or winner, the room exploded.
The kids jumped from their seats, shouting, hugging, and dancing. Some pounded the floor with excitements while others clung to each other in disbelief.
Dembele shares emotional reaction on social media after winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or
The tension that had gripped their faces seconds before was replaced by unfiltered joy, they had just witnessed one of their heroes reach the pinnacle of the game.
Their reaction captured the raw emotion of Dembele’s triumph in a way that even the grand Paris stage could not.
In those few moments, the joy of young dreamers mirrored the pride of a nation, celebrating a Frenchman who had risen from humble beginnings to win one of football’s greatest individual prize.
FKA/JE
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