Emotional Ousmane Dembélé Dedicates Ballon d’Or Triumph To PSG And Fans

‎Ousmane Dembélé admitted that winning the Ballon d’Or was never one of his personal ambitions, but he was moved to tears when speaking about his family after receiving the award on Monday.

‎The Paris Saint-Germain forward was named the world’s best player following an impressive season. He also became the first Frenchman since Karim Benzema in 2022 to claim the prestigious prize, having helped PSG secure their first-ever Champions League title.

‎“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 told Reuters 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.

‎Dembele on his injury

‎Recovering from an injury that has sidelined him in recent weeks, the striker said, “It’s better, I’ll be back soon.”

‎”I also thank all the clubs I’ve played for: Dortmund, Rennes, and Barcelona. I was with great players like Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi.

‎”I worked for the team to win the Champions League, and to be thanked with a trophy like the Ballon d’Or makes me very happy tonight.”

‎The award is for the previous season, not the previous year, and it recognizes the best player during that specific period.

‎Dembele’s performances last season clearly set him apart, as he helped PSG achieve domestic and European glory.