Ousmane Dembélé, the 29-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward, praised the strength of the squad during the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Monday. Present to accept the award for Men’s Club of the Year—won by Paris for the second consecutive time—he shared remarks that were subsequently reported by Foot Mercato.
Dembélé: “We’ve built an incredible group, an incredible club; we fight together.”
“On behalf of the entire PSG club, thank you. This is the second time in two years that we’ve won this trophy. We’ve built an incredible group, an incredible club; we fight together. We strive to bring a great deal of joy and pleasure to all spectators—to neutral fans and even to the ‘haters.’ It’s truly incredible.”
Dembélé’s first instinct is to share the credit. In his expressions of gratitude, there is room for everyone: he speaks on behalf of the club, then emphasizes the group that fights as one. His humility shines through in the way he distributes the merit. He is able to savor the accolade and describe the journey as “incredible,” all while ensuring that the “we” remains the central focus.
For PSG, this is the most compelling part of his statement: Dembélé attributes their success to mutual support. His words highlight what the players have built together—a reminder of the value of the collective, even at a moment when it would have been easy to bask in the individual spotlight.
And then there are the “haters,” also invited to enjoy the show. This touch of mischief adds depth to his words of thanks. Dembélé displays his pride, keeps a smile on his face, and makes space for everyone—even those who might have preferred a different outcome.
