Dembele and Bonmati win Fifa Best awards - and here's how Ireland's representatives voted

FRANCE AND PARIS Saint-Germain attacker Ousmane Dembele won the men’s Fifa Best award at a ceremony in Qatar on Tuesday, while Barcelona midfield maestro Aitana Bonmati collected the women’s prize.

Dembele, 28, won the Ballon d’Or in September, rewarding an exceptional season with PSG, which included the Ligue 1 club’s first Champions League title.

Former Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona forward Dembele, who was part of the France team that won the World Cup in 2018, scored 35 goals in all competitions as PSG claimed a French league and cup double as well as European glory.

PSG’s Spanish coach Luis Enrique was named best coach of a men’s team, ahead of Barcelona’s Hansi Flick and Liverpool’s Premier League winning manager Arne Slot.

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Bonmati, 27, was crowned women’s player of the year for the third time in a row, after also picking up her third consecutive Ballon d’Or in the autumn.

England manager Sarina Wiegman picked up the award for coaching a women’s side after she won a third consecutive Euros title in the summer.

In the goalkeeping category, Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who joined Manchester City after winning the Champions League with PSG, picked up the men’s award, while Chelsea’s Euro 2025 winner Hannah Hampton won the trophy in the women’s category.

The winners were chosen by a combined vote of fans, media representatives, captains and national team coaches for their performances between 11 August 2024 and 2 August 2025.

Ireland captain Nathan Collins voted for Dembele, with his No 2 and No 3 votes going to Vitinha and Kylian Mbappé.

Heimir Hallgrimsson, the Ireland head coach, voted for Mo Salah, followed by Lamine Yamal and Nuno Mendes in second and third place.

Philip Quinn has the Ireland media vote and he went, 1-2-3: Dembele, Salah, Nuno Mendes.

Ireland captain Katie McCabe voted for Mariona Caldentey with her No 2 and no 3 votes for Alessia Russo and Patricia Guijarro. 

Carla Ward, Ireland head coach, voted Calentey first, with Russo and Bonmati second and third.

Mark McCadden, with the Irish media vote, went Bonmati at No 1, then Lucy Bronze and Russo.