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HEC Paris, one of the world’s top-ranked business schools, proudly welcomes the 2025 cohort of its Emerging Leaders Track (ELT) - a pioneering Executive MBA programme to develop the next generation of business leaders who will shape the diversified, knowledge-driven economies of Qatar and the wider region. As HEC Paris celebrates 15 years in Qatar, the launch of this new cohort reflects the business school’s commitment to cultivating purposeful leaders, fostering innovation, and advancing Qatar National Vision 2030 through education, human capital development, and transformative societal impact. Building on the success of the inaugural 2024 cohort, the Emerging Leaders Track Executive MBA continues to offer a flexible, part-time format that enables participants to balance professional responsibilities with academic advancement, equipping them to apply their learning immediately within their organisations. The 2025 intake welcomes 47 participants from six countries, including professionals from Qatar and the region. Notably, 70% are women, reflecting HEC Paris, Doha’s strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and the development of local talent. Participants come from a variety of industries, creating a dynamic learning environment rooted in global perspectives and regional relevance. Dr Pablo Martin de Holan, dean of HEC Paris, Doha, reflected: “The Emerging Leaders Track empowers professionals to grow personally and professionally developing the technical and human skills and the ethical perspective needed drive impact within organizations and communities. The programme reflects our commitment to nurturing talent, advancing innovation and entrepreneurship, supporting Qatar’s vision for a modern, robust and sustainable economy.” Designed for ambitious professionals with high growth potential, the ELT curriculum integrates academic rigour with practical learning. Participants gain expertise in core business disciplines, including strategy, finance, operations, and innovation, while developing leadership skills through case studies, field visits, and a hands-on Capstone Project that enables them to generate tangible impact within their organizations or entrepreneurial ventures. Prof Wolfgang Amann, academic experience manager of the Emerging Leaders Track Executive MBA at HEC Paris, Doha, said: “The Emerging Leaders Track goes beyond business education - it’s a transformational experience that develops both mindset and capability. By integrating global insights with local relevance, participants learn to turn strategic vision into action and to lead with clarity, agility, and purpose. The programme challenges them to think differently, act decisively, and create lasting impact within their organisations and across the region.”

Doha Forum and Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) reaffirmed their joint commitment to advancing peace, dialogue, and sustainable development through their renewed partnership with the 8th edition of the Paris Peace Forum, held under the theme "New Coalitions for Peace, People and the Planet." The Paris Peace Forum convened global leaders from governments, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society to deliberate on collective responses to growing global fragmentation, mounting development challenges, and escalating geopolitical tensions. Within this framework, the Doha Forum and QFFD co-hosted a high-level session titled "New Coalitions for Peace and Development: How Can We Address the Funding Gap" The discussion highlighted the urgent need for innovative, inclusive, and sustainable financing mechanisms to support peacebuilding and development efforts, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. The session was moderated by Head of Regional Development Dynamics Division at the OECD Development Centre, Sebastian Nieto Parra, and featured the participation of Deputy Director General of the Planning Sector at Qatar Fund for Development Sheikha Haya Al Thani; Humanitarian Director and Deputy Director-General for Stabilization, Humanitarian Assistance and Peace Building at the Ministry of External Affairs, Germany Ina Heusgen ; Deputy Director of the Crisis Support Center at the French Ministry of External Affairs Fanny Demassieux; and Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Yonsei University Chung-in Moon. With only 17% of the Sustainable Development Goals currently on track, the discussion emphasized the urgent need for a broader and more adaptive financing ecosystem — one that engages non-traditional donors, leverages private capital, strengthens public-private collaboration, and channels philanthropic investment toward long-term stability and resilience. General Manager of the Doha Forum, Maha Al-Kuwari, highlighted the Forum's commitment to driving meaningful partnerships, stating: "With the world facing multiple, overlapping crises, we must move beyond pledges to tangible outcomes. Our collaboration with QFFD at the Paris Peace Forum reflects Doha Forum's belief that innovative partnerships — across governments, philanthropy, and the private sector — are key to advancing sustainable peace and development." Deputy Director General of the Planning Sector at Qatar Fund for Development, Sheikha Haya Al Thani, emphasized: "At Qatar Fund for Development, we believe that the complex challenges facing our world today cannot be addressed in isolation. They require collective action, bold partnerships, and innovative financing that bridge divides and drive meaningful impact. Our trilateral partnership between the Doha Forum and the Paris Peace Forum reaffirms our shared commitment to advancing constructive dialogue, strengthening international cooperation, and accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals." This year's engagement marks the third consecutive year of the strategic partnership between Doha Forum, QFFD, and the Paris Peace Forum. This ongoing collaboration reaffirms the State of Qatar's steadfast commitment to reinforcing effective multilateralism, grounded in inclusive dialogue and collective action to advance global peace, stability, and prosperity for all.

Former world number one Daniil Medvedev kickstarted his campaign at the Paris Masters Tuesday with a comfortable 6-1, 6-3 win over Spaniard Jaume Munar.The 2020 Paris Masters champion began briskly on the vast centre court of the event’s new La Defense Arena home, claiming the opening set in under half-an-hour. Eleventh seed Medvedev then secured the crucial break in the sixth game of the second set and served out to set up a second-round meeting with Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.Earlier, Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime kept alive his hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin with a comeback 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 6-3 victory over Argentinian Francisco Comesana.Auger-Aliassime is ninth in the race for the eight-place tournament and needs a deep run in the French capital to make his second career appearance at the season-ending tournament. Shock Shanghai Masters winner Valentin Vacherot raised the roof on the 17,500-capacity centre court as he continued his remarkable form in the opening match of the day.The Monegasque wildcard beat Czech 14th seed Jiri Lehecka 6-1, 6-3 in under an hour, and will next meet his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in a repeat of the Shanghai final earlier in October. Canadian Gabriel Diallo beat Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4 and France’s Corentin Moutet fought past American lucky loser Reilly Opelka in three sets.Earlier, Grigor Dimitrov returned to action by beating Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 in the first round as the event made its debut in its new La Defense Arena home.After being held for nearly 40 years at Paris’ Bercy Arena, the tournament has moved across the city to set up shop in the cavernous multi-purpose arena.Opened in 2017, the venue is best known as the home ground of French Top 14 rugby club Racing 92 and for having played host to the swimming events at the Olympics last year. It also welcomes concerts and political rallies. Now in its current guise as a tennis venue, La Defense Arena boasts the second largest showpiece court on the current global tennis circuit - second only in size terms to the US Open’s Arthur Ashe Stadium.It was the scene of a triumphant comeback for former world number three Dimitrov as he played his first match since having to retire injured from his fourth round match at Wimbledon in July when leading two sets to love against eventual champion Jannik Sinner. “Winning or losing this match today would have been a win for me, I’m just so happy to be able to compete again,” 34-year-old Dimitrov said on-court.“I had to be extremely patient with myself... clearly I’m playing against such an amazing player but I’m just grateful (to win).”Dimitrov overcame fervent home support in the night session to grind out the first set on a tie-break against big-serving Frenchman Mpetshi Perricard.Bolstered by his lead, the Bulgarian swiftly secured the first break of the match in the opening game of the second set as he glided through to the round of 32.

HEC Paris, Doha, a partner university of Qatar Foundation (QF), is increasingly influencing Qatar’s entrepreneurial landscape. The rise of startups focusing on health and sustainability reflects more than just a shift in lifestyle trends, but rather a broader movement led by a new generation of purpose-driven entrepreneurs committed to building visionary, impact-oriented businesses. Among them are three successful HEC Paris, Doha alumni – Layla al-Dorani, Nuwaid Pocker, and Ghanim al-Sulaiti – each defining what it means to lead with impact. Al-Dorani, founder of Raw Middle East – a plant-based food and beverage factory – credits HEC Paris, Doha with transforming her approach to innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership. “It gave me the confidence to take calculated risks and view challenges as opportunities for transformation,” she said. Her journey in HEC Paris, Doha “wasn’t just about learning frameworks, it was about building the mindset to create impact through business” not only in Qatar but in the Middle East. Al-Dorani said that her network from the university has been instrumental to her growth and her business. It’s more than a professional network, she said, “it’s a community of thinkers, innovators, and leaders who relentlessly inspire and support each other”. As consumer awareness around health and sustainability grows in Qatar and the region, al-Dorani’s company is increasingly emphasising on education, accessibility, and familiar flavours. Sustainability is central to its operations, from food waste composting to a goal of 100% sustainable packaging by 2027, to exploring local farm partnerships to reduce carbon footprint, while strengthening local supply chains. For Pocker, founder of Dieture – a leading diet centre in Qatar – and now the driving force behind FoodCare, which is a data-driven ecosystem that integrates meals, diagnostics, and guidance, HEC Paris, Doha transformed how he thinks about scale, innovation, and disciplined execution. During his capstone project, he was challenged to design strategic paths to scale Dieture, which pushed him to move beyond good ideas into structured, testable business theses. This structured approach helped transform Dieture from a meal subscription concept into FoodCare – a scalable ecosystem integrating clean food, diagnostics, and personalised health insights. He pointed out that the HEC Paris, Doha network played a vital role in launching his career through mentorship, access to government and industry leaders, and early customer traction. It also accelerated his company’s evolution and helped him refine brand messaging, product validation, and market access. Pocker stressed that HEC Paris, Doha’s broader impact is raising the bar for entrepreneurship in Qatar. “This is proof that the school is shaping leaders, not just teaching frameworks,” he said. Meanwhile, Ghanim al-Sulaiti, founder of Evergreen Organics and Enbat Group, took a different path – one rooted in reconnecting people with real food. “I realised how disconnected we’ve become from what nourishes us, especially the younger generation,” he said. What started as Qatar’s first fully plant-based café has since grown up into a movement, spanning sustainable packaging through Papercut, wellness with Botany, and global reforestation via the Forest Smoothie initiative. Al-Sulaiti joined HEC Paris, Doha eight years after he had launched his business – a turning point that refined his mission. “Before HEC Paris, Doha, I was driven purely by passion; and then after completing my programme at the business school, I learned how to sustain that passion through strategy,” he said.

Bayer Leverkusen found some solace at home Sunday after a Champions League humbling by Paris Saint-Germain with a 2-0 win over Freiburg in the Bundesliga.Dismantled 7-2 by the European champions at the same venue five days ago, Leverkusen got back to winning ways thanks to strikes by Ernest Poku and Edmond Tapsoba either side of the break.The victory took the 2023-24 double winners to fourth spot in the table, two points clear of Stuttgart, who host lowly Mainz in Sunday's final match.Leverkusen midfielder Jonas Hofmann told DAZN his side "shook off the 7-2 defeat" to PSG with Sunday's victory.Leverkusen have now won four in a row in the Bundesliga as part of a seven-match domestic unbeaten run.Coach Kasper Hjulmand, who replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag two games into the league season, is yet to taste defeat in the Bundesliga.The loss was Freiburg's first in the league since August.These two sides played out a 2-2 draw in May but only three players who started for Leverkusen on Sunday were at the club last season.After 22 minutes, Spain midfielder Aleix Garcia played a clever one-two with Poku, who hit a low shot into the bottom right corner to give the hosts the lead.It was the eighth time in eight league games this season Leverkusen have scored first.The hosts doubled up seven minutes into the second half when Tapsoba muscled through the Freiburg defence to head in an Alejandro Grimaldo cross.With 15 minutes remaining, Freiburg were reduced to 10 men when Philipp Lienhart picked up a second yellow."I feel everything was decided even before the red card. It feels good," Hofmann added of Leverkusen's performance.

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation (QF), Wednesday attended the 15th anniversary celebration of HEC Paris, Doha, a QF partner university, at a landmark event at the iconic Museum of Islamic Art. The celebration was also attended by HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani, in addition to the leadership team of HEC Paris as well as other distinguished guests, alumni, faculty, and partners. Marking the occasion Her Highness said: “Today we celebrate 15 years of a thriving partnership between Qatar Foundation and HEC Paris in Doha – a collaboration established in line with QF’s vision to foster an ecosystem of innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship. That vision is now being realised through the impactful contributions of HEC Paris in Doha alumni, who are driving economic transformation and meaningful societal progress across Qatar and the region.” HE Sheikha Hind, an alumna of HEC Paris, Doha, said: “Over the past 15 years, HEC Paris, Doha has played a transformational role in advancing Qatar’s vision for a knowledge-based economy. The presence of this world-renowned business school in Qatar has strengthened the nation’s position as a regional hub for executive education and innovation. “Through its collaborations with local institutions, and its focus on developing entrepreneurial talent, HEC Paris, Doha has been instrumental in supporting national priorities such as human capital development, sustainability, and economic diversification. “By empowering entrepreneurs and leaders with world-class education, HEC Paris, Doha has contributed immensely to the diversification and growth of Qatar’s workforce while making an invaluable contribution to capacity-building and knowledge generation across the region’s business landscape. We are proud to celebrate this milestone for a valued and longstanding partner in education, and look forward to continuing to cultivate excellence in education, innovation, and leadership for future generations together.” During the event, HEC Paris, Doha unveiled its new motto, 'Dare the Impossible', reflecting its ambition to inspire leadership, innovation, and transformative impact. A centerpiece of the evening was the debut of ‘Innovation Majlises’: six creative showcases highlighting alumni-led ventures that reflected HEC Paris, Doha’s entrepreneurial spirit, and the transformative impact of its graduates on Qatar’s business landscape. Since 2010, HEC Paris, Doha has enrolled more than 1,500 professionals, 41% of whom are women and 53% of whom are Qatari, and delivered 181 customised programmes to over 5,000 executives across Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Oman. Beyond academic programmes, HEC Paris, Doha has strengthened Qatar’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through initiatives like the Business Research Lab and the creation of case studies on sustainability, digital transformation, and diversity. It has also published a comprehensive entrepreneurship guidebook to empower the next generation of innovators. Today, its alumni hold leadership positions in ministries, boardrooms, and entrepreneurial ventures, advancing Qatar’s development. Professor Éloïc Peyrache, Dean of HEC Paris, reflected on the business school’s journey in the region, saying: “When Qatar Foundation invited us to establish a campus in Doha, it opened a new chapter for HEC Paris – one shaped by the Middle East’s extraordinary transformation. Since then, our Doha campus has been offering world-class executive education and building bridges between Europe and the Gulf. Today, we are proud of the impact we have achieved together, and excited for what lies ahead.”

The Paris Masters debuts in its new La Defense Arena home this month, with the vast showpiece court second only in size terms to the US Open’s Arthur Ashe Stadium on the current global circuit.Tournament director Cedric Pioline told AFP it showed the indoor event was “evolving” and the new venue in the western suburbs of the French capital would allow for innovations such as an improved walk-on for the players that will feature a laser show.The new base will be familiar to TV viewers as the venue for the swimming events at the Olympics last year.It is also the home of French Top 14 rugby club Racing 92 and regularly hosts the world’s best-known performing artists.“The centre court will have a capacity of around 17,500 people, making it the second biggest court in the world for (tournaments held annually), behind the US Open centre court,” Pioline, a former world number five-ranked player who was a beaten finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open, said.“There will be just over 4,000 seats on Court No. 1 and 4,000 on Court No. 2. Court No. 3 has a capacity of a few hundred seats,” the Frenchman added.The ATP Masters 1000 event runs from October 27 to November 2.In early 2024, organisers signed a 10-year contract to stage the event at La Defense Arena, a decision made in order to comply with ATP requirements for its biggest tournaments.Rumours had long circulated that the event would lose its Masters status due to the size of the Bercy Arena – its home since 1986.“Without any changes on our part, over a medium-term cycle – we are talking about four to five years – there was a possibility of being downgraded (to a Masters 500 or 250 event),” Pioline said.As well as enjoying a boost in seating capacity, the tournament’s new venue will allow for more room on-court for players.“We have also decided to increase the playing surface for the comfort of the players,” Pioline said.“(At Bercy), the outside courts were a little small in relation to the physical commitment of the players and their coverage of the court.“Overall, it felt a bit cramped,” he added.“We simply needed to be able to evolve,” he added of the decision to leave Bercy.‘Confident’ for Alcaraz, SinnerPioline emphasised one tradition would be carried on from Bercy to La Defense: the Paris Masters’ glitzy player walk-ons. But it will be substantially updated.“The tunnel that was created (at Bercy) in the 2010s was a great innovation,” he said.“We came to the conclusion that a new venue meant a new show. It will be much more vertical, even more based on laser-type lighting.“It has to be a truly immersive experience.”Pioline shared he was “confident” the experience for fans would include seeing the top two players in the men’s game, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.“The thousand ATP points awarded to the winner will carry weight” in the battle between the Spaniard and the Italian to finish the season at the top of the world rankings, he argued.After injuring his ankle at the end of September during his victory at the Japan Open, world number one Alcaraz decided to skip the recent Shanghai Masters.Sinner was forced to withdraw in the third round of the event in China.With the ATP Finals scheduled in Turin from November 9-16, followed by the Davis Cup finals from November 18-23 in Bologna, the end-of-season schedule is “clearly busy, but we are confident”, Pioline said.

Gianluigi Donnarumma said he had wanted to remain at European champions Paris St Germain before his transfer to Manchester City during the close season but the Italy goalkeeper has now turned the page.The 26-year-old, who joined PSG from AC Milan in 2021, was part of the side that claimed the French club’s first Champions League title last season and was asked at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony on Monday if he had wanted to stay in Paris."Yes, when you go through so many positive things, when you spend a lot of time with great friends, it is difficult,” Donnarumma told reporters after being awarded the Yashin trophy for best goalkeeper of the season.Donnarumma, who also won Ligue 1 and the French Cup last season, added that he was now settled at City where he has signed a five-year contract, with British media reporting that they paid 30mn pounds for the keeper."But the truth is that I have found an extraordinary club (Manchester City), with extraordinary players, and they welcome me like a big family and that is important for me," he said. "Change is difficult but I found (at City) really extraordinary supporters, extraordinary players, the staff, the coach, the sporting director, the president."Donnarumma is now fully focused on the task at hand with his new club, hoping more trophies will come. "I’m focused on my new adventure," he said. "I am pleased with my performances over the last year and the trophies I have won, but I know I can still improve and that’s a major reason why I chose to move to Manchester City. I am now fully focused on working with (City manager) Pep Guardiola and his staff to develop my game even further and help my new team to even more success."

Paris St Germain's France international Ousmane Dembele said winning the Ballon d’Or was never a personal goal but admitted he could not hold back tears when he spoke about his family after being named the world’s best player on Monday.The forward became the first Frenchman since Karim Benzema in 2022 to lift the prize after helping PSG claim their maiden Champions League crown last season. "I didn’t want to cry, but as soon as I started talking about my family, about the people who have been there for me, it came up and I couldn’t hold it back,” Dembele said after beating Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal to the prize.The 28-year-old added that while he never set out to target individual honours, the award was a special moment. "It was never a personal objective. On an individual level, having a trophy like this is magnificent. But when it happens, of course, you’re happy, you’re delighted.”Asked whether the accolade was the "people’s Ballon d’Or”, a description once used by Benzema, Dembele replied: "Benzema is the people’s Ballon d’Or, the first one, and I am the second.”Dembele insisted the award also belonged to his club. "Yes, of course, it’s for the team. For all the people who are fans of me, all the Parisian supporters, the whole club, the staff and the players,” he said. Recovering from an injury that has sidelined him in recent weeks, the striker said: "It’s better, I’ll be back soon.”One moment defined PSG's first Champions League triumph amidst the noise of Munich’s Allianz Arena, – Dembele's eyes fixed on Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer. The French forward’s stare was more than intimidation, it was the symbol of a player transformed.That image, Dembele glaring at Sommer before another hurried clearance, summed up the determination that helped produce a 5-0 rout and delivered PSG’s long-awaited European triumph. It followed an individual campaign by Dembele that put helped him pick up the coveted award at a ceremony in Paris on Monday.Since his 2023 arrival from Barcelona, Dembele has been reimagined under Luis Enrique, evolving from a mercurial winger into a complete forward. The Spanish coach gradually pushed the Frenchman into central positions and gave him licence to roam. "The coach gives me a lot of freedom on the pitch,” Dembele said. "I’m not forced to remain at the point of the attack like a number nine. I just try to create space and to cause a bit of chaos in midfield.”Enrique’s assessment was emphatic after Dembele struck back-to-back hat-tricks last season. "Ousmane can become the player he wants to be,” he said. "If he remains confident in front of goal, he has no equal. He can score in any position, even with his head. He’s a phenomenal player.”That freedom has translated into the most productive campaign of Dembele's career. He finished the 2024-25 season with 35 goals and 14 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions with the capital club, including 21 Ligue 1 goals to finish top scorer. He provided two assists in the Champions League final alone.Beyond goals, his defensive work has been a hallmark. In Munich, Dembele produced more sprints than any other PSG player, according to UEFA’s performance data, leading the press that unsettled Inter’s back line from the opening whistle.For Enrique, those runs mattered as much as the goals. "I sincerely believe he deserves the Ballon d’Or,” the coach said. "Not just for the titles he won or the goals he scored, but for his pressing ... He’s done it all season, but exceptionally in this (Champions League) final.”Dembele’s ball-carrying and delicate turns have long been a trademark, his two-footed dribbling leaving defenders disoriented. But the 2025 version added ruthlessness in front of goal and a willingness to set the tone without the ball. "There is a consistency that makes the team better,” Enrique said in February. "He was already good last season but in 2025 he is even better. You can see his teammates looking for him and finding him. He has an impeccable attitude.”Such words mark a stark change from the perception of Dembele two years ago, when injuries and inconsistency meant his potential often seemed only partly fulfilled. At PSG, he has become not only decisive but reliable.France has produced Ballon d’Or winners before - Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema in 2022. For much of the last decade the assumption was that Kylian Mbappe would be next. Yet as PSG closed their season of domestic dominance and European conquest, the conversation shifted. "I’d give the Ballon d’Or to Mr Ousmane Dembele,” Enrique said after the final. "The way he defended (against Inter)... only that can be worth the Ballon d’Or. This is how you lead a team.”Last season has redrawn Dembele’s legacy. His dribbling still dazzles, but now it is joined by goals, assists and an appetite for pressing that even his coach calls exemplary. The stare at Sommer in Munich captured it all: a player once labelled fragile now the embodiment of PSG’s ferocity. From unfulfilled promise to fully realised talent, Dembele has become the symbol of a team - and France’s latest Ballon d’Or winner.

An early goal by defender Nayef Aguerd gave Marseille a 1-0 win over reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain Monday, a rare success against their great rivals in a game delayed by 24 hours by storms in southern France.Moroccan defender Aguerd, signed just before the recent transfer deadline from West Ham United, scored his second goal in as many Ligue 1 appearances for his new club with five minutes gone at the Velodrome. PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier came for a deflected Mason Greenwood cross but got nothing on the ball, allowing Aguerd to head into the unguarded net and score the only goal of the game.The fixture, the biggest in French football, was scheduled to go ahead on Sunday but was called off because local authorities feared forecast heavy rainfall would be a significant risk for both players and spectators. With little space in a packed calendar and both clubs involved in the Champions League, the match was put back just a day.That proved awkward for PSG as it meant a clash with the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in Paris, at which a host of their squad were nominated for the men's player of the year prize. Among them was Ousmane Dembele, the top scorer for the Champions League winners last season who was able to attend the ceremony having been ruled out of the Marseille clash due to injury.PSG coach Luis Enrique could have done with Dembele in the game, as well as his fellow injury absentees Desire Doue and Joao Neves. Achraf Hakimi was pushed forward from his usual right-back position to the wing, but it was still a strong Paris team. Nevertheless, Marseille held onto the lead following the early goal to claim a first home league victory against PSG since November 2011.Aguerd's goal was the first time they had even found the net at home to PSG in Ligue 1 since 2017. Amine Gouiri hit the bar soon after as Marseille sought to add to their advantage. The home side also had a goal disallowed for offside in the first half, before goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli made a couple of key saves to deny the visitors after the break.Marseille saw the game out, although not before fiery coach Roberto De Zerbi was shown a late red card on the touchline. It is a first loss of the season for PSG, who had won their first four matches in Ligue 1. They fall off the top of the table, behind Monaco on goals scored.Both teams have 12 points, as do Lyon and Strasbourg who complete the top four. Marseille are up to sixth, three points adrift of the leading quartet.

France forward Ousmane Dembele on Monday won the men's Ballon d'Or, the most prestigious individual prize in football, rewarding his starring role in the Paris Saint-Germain side that lifted the Champions League trophy last season.Dembele, 28, pipped Barcelona and Spain teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to the prize at a ceremony in Paris and succeeds Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, who won the trophy in 2024. The former Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona winger, who was part of the France team that won the World Cup in 2018, scored 35 goals in all competitions as PSG won a French league and cup double as well as the Champions League for the first time in their history."I really don't have the words. It was an incredible season with PSG," said an emotional Dembele, who said his club coach Luis Enrique had been "like a father". "It is an individual trophy but it was really the collective that won it," added Dembele, who was one of nine members of the triumphant PSG team from last season nominated for the prize. "The Ballon d'Or has not really been an objective for me in my career but I worked hard for the team to win the Champions League."The 18-year-old Yamal, who was a teammate of Dembele's at Barcelona when he first broke through in 2023, earlier won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 - the second year running he has taken that award.Luis Enrique and Sarina Wiegman landed the top coaching accolades following their sensational seasons in charge of Paris St-Germain and England’s Lionesses. Enrique achieved the remarkable Treble with a European club for the second time in his career, previously doing so with Barcelona in the 2014-15 season. He joins Pep Guardiola, who has also done this twice. And Wiegman became the first manager in either the men's or women's game to lead a team to five consecutive major international tournament finals: two with Netherlands, three with England.Enrique said in a statement: "Thank you to my family, thank you to PSG. I also want to thank two special people: Nasser Al-Khelaifi (PSG chairman) and Luís Campos (PSG sporting director). We have a special relationship. A message to my players who are there: it’s nice to win individual awards but I think the most important thing is the recognition of the fans."Spain's Bonmati wins Women's Ballon d'OrBarcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmati won the Women's Ballon d'Or, the third consecutive year she has taken the prize. Bonmati edged out Mariona Caldentey, her teammate in the Spain side beaten on penalties by England in the Women's Euro 2025 final in July.The 27-year-old midfielder also lost the Women's Champions League final with her club last season, at the hands of Caldentey's Arsenal. Bonmati was named player of the tournament at the Euros, despite not starting either of Spain's first two matches as she recovered from a bout of viral meningitis.Alessia Russo, one of the nominees from the triumphant England European Championship team, came in third place. The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual prize in both men's and women's football, and Bonmati's run of three in a row follows back-to-back victories for her Barcelona and Spain teammate Alexia Putellas. Norway's Ada Hegerberg and USA star Megan Rapinoe are the only other players to have won the Women's Ballon d'Or since it was introduced in 2018.

A Bradley Barcola brace earned Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 win over Lens in Ligue 1 on Sunday, while Kylian Mbappe’s brother Ethan scored deep into second-half added time to give Lille a last-gasp victory.The result sent PSG back to the top of the table as the reigning champions secured their fourth win from four outings this term.However, the match threw up some injury headaches for coach Luis Enrique ahead of the start of PSG’s Champions League defence next week, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lee Kang-in and Lucas Beraldo all limping off.Barcola sent PSG ahead on the quarter-hour with an elegant curling finish from 20 yards.New PSG signing Illya Zabarnyi came close to turning into his own net on 27 minutes following a rare Lens foray forward.But things did then go wrong for the dominant hosts as star winger Kvaratskhelia was forced off two minutes later with a calf issue, casting a doubt over his presence on Wednesday as PSG open their Champions League title defence against Atalanta.Barcola doubled PSG’s lead six minutes after half-time when he drove in from the left before arrowing a right-footed finish from distance past the dive of goalkeeper Robin Risser.But PSG’s injury woes accumulated in the second period when first midfielder Lee, then defender Beraldo had to be replaced.Earlier in Lille, 18-year-old Ethan Mbappe volleyed home eight minutes into injury time to give Lille a 2-1 home win over Toulouse despite the hosts being a goal down as the clock ticked past 90. A penalty at the very start of injury time converted by Nabil Bentaleb had brought the hosts level before Mbappe lashed home a late winner.Both goals came courtesy of late substitutes introduced by coach Bruno Genesio, after Toulouse were reduced to 10 men on 80 minutes.Following his departure from PSG in the wake of his elder brother Kylian’s acrimonious free transfer to Real Madrid, Mbappe joined Lille in July last year.The midfielder’s first strike for the 2020/21 Ligue 1 winners came on his 11th league appearance as he ghosted in at the far post to thrash Osame Sahraoui’s stood-up cross past the helpless visiting goalkeeper.“Last year was a bit of a difficult year for me, with a lot of injuries,” said Mbappe. “Coming back with a goal, honestly, there’s no better way to start a new season.”Frank Magri opened the scoring for Toulouse early in the second period before Lille’s late show.The last-gasp win provisionally took Lille to the top of the Ligue 1 table, on 10 points, before PSG won to knock them down to second. Lyon, the only other club to boast a 100 percent record in Ligue 1 this season, could take top spot with a victory in the weekend’s final match away to Rennes.Elsewhere, Liam Rosenior’s youthful Strasbourg side grabbed a 1-0 win at home to Le Havre thanks to Joaquin Panichelli’s 92nd-minute spot-kick. Paris FC claimed their second win of the campaign, holding out 2-1 at last-placed Brest, while Metz drew 1-1 with Angers.