Ousmane Dembélé, 28-year-old forward for Paris Saint-Germain, remains the clear favorite for the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Speaking to RMC Sport, Luis Campos, the club’s sporting director, commented on the topic, affirming that Dembélé is the most deserving player based on his performances throughout last season.
Campos: “If his name were Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there would be no discussion.”
“PSG has nine players nominated for the Ballon d’Or. We’re very happy about that. Other players also deserve to be there, like Barcola or Pacho. Ousmane Dembélé was named the best player in the Champions League and the best player in his league — he won everything. If his name were Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there would be no discussion.”
Campos: “I’m talking about last season, not projecting into the future for Lamine Yamal.”
“If he doesn’t win the Ballon d’Or, it means the voters weren’t competent enough to decide. In my opinion, the player who clearly deserves the Ballon d’Or is Ousmane Dembélé — no discussion. I’m talking about last season, not projecting into the future with Lamine Yamal.
This season, the player with the best stats and standout performances in every competition is Ousmane Dembélé. Hakimi and Vitinha also had extraordinary seasons, but the truth is that the best player in the Champions League and Ligue 1 is Ousmane Dembélé.”
Without any doubt, Ousmane Dembélé is PSG’s standout player this season. Of course, other players like Achraf Hakimi, Désiré Doué, and Vitinha have been exceptional, but Dembélé remains the top Ballon d’Or candidate. It’s natural to mention Lamine Yamal given his potential, but regarding last season, there is no debate: Dembélé is the clear favorite.
Beyond his performances, there is also the tangible success: Dembélé won the league, the Coupe de France, the Champions League, and the UEFA Super Cup. It’s hard to do better than that. While a surprise is always possible, Dembélé is expected to claim another trophy next Monday and further write his legacy.