Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele was chosen as French sportsman of the year by the newspaper L'Equipe, a distinction that ended swimmer Leon Marchand's two-year reign on the traditional "champion" list "of champions." The vote, conducted by the staff of the sports publication, once again placed football at the heart of the oldest individual award in French sport.

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Dembele, who also won the Ballon d'Or, was instrumental in PSG's historic season, marked by the club's first Champions League title. In the final ranking, he surpassed Marchand, who finished second, followed by sailing champion Charlie Dalin and athlete Jimmy Gressier, confirming the striker's strong impact on the French sporting scene. The former Barcelona player thus became the first footballer to receive this award since Kylian Mbappe in 2022 and the sixth to achieve it since the award's creation in 1946. Before him, only iconic figures of French football had achieved this distinction: Raymond Kopa in 1955 and 1958, Michel Platini in 1977 and 1984, Alain Giresse in 1982, and Zinedine Zidane in 1998. Ferrand-Prevot, the female role model of the year. Dembele's selection was backed by an outstanding season at both the team and individual levels. His 35 goals in all competitions were key to Luis Enrique's team winning five titles last season. The Spanish coach opted to play him as a center forward, after years of him playing as a winger, a decision that proved crucial in boosting his attacking output and helping the club overcome the departure of Mbappe, who signed for Real Madrid. In the women's category, the award went to cyclist Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, who at 33 was chosen for the fourth time as French Sportswoman of the Year.The recognition came five years after her last nomination and was spurred by her unexpected victory in the Tour de France, achieved after her return to road cycling following several seasons dedicated to other disciplines. Ferrand-Prevot had already demonstrated excellent form with her Olympic title in Paris in the cross-country event, confirming the enduring relevance of an athlete with one of the most complete palmares in world cycling. World champion on the road in 2014, in cyclo-cross in 2015, and in cross-country on multiple occasions, she also added titles in mountain biking and prestigious classics. In addition to the Tour, she won Paris-Roubaix, her second classic, eleven years after triumphing in La Fleche Wallonne.