Ousmane Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or Case: Record-Breaking Season, But Can Anyone Stop Him?

‎With the Ballon d’Or voting due to close this week, the football world finds itself embroiled in one of the most fascinating debates of recent years.

‎Ousmane Dembélé, after a historic season with Paris Saint-Germain, has emerged as a natural frontrunner for the award.

‎Yet, the shadow of 18-year-old phenomenon Lamine Yamal proves significant, fueling an ongoing discussion: is it time to reward the established star who has conquered everything, or the generational prodigy who promises to dominate the future?

‎A Debate That Refuses to Fade

‎Back in May and June, the debate raged at its peak. Dembélé had just completed a near-perfect season, lifting trophy after trophy with PSG.

‎But as Yamal continued dazzling fans across Europe, the question lingered should the Ballon d’Or reflect collective triumphs and consistency, or reward the sheer brilliance of a prodigy who might define the next decade?

‎That same tension remains today. The Ballon d’Or, traditionally rooted in the balance of team success and individual brilliance, has never been more tested.

‎Dembélé, PSG’s Driving Force

‎Ousmane Dembélé was not just part of PSG’s historic season; he was an important figure in it. Paris became the first French club in history to win a quadruple the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, the Champions League, and the domestic Super Cup.

‎Every one of those trophies had Dembélé’s fingerprints all over it.

‎Even when injuries struck during the Club World Cup group stage, his return for the knockout rounds changed everything. He came off the bench against Inter Miami and Bayern Munich, then started decisive matches against Real Madrid and Chelsea, scoring vital goals against Bayern and Madrid to push PSG forward.

‎His influence was visible not just in the numbers, but in the way Paris’ attack sharpened whenever he was on the pitch.

‎Luis Enrique deserves credit for a bold decision that transformed Dembélé’s season: moving him into a central striker role. From there, he became PSG’s first line of defense, setting the tone with relentless pressing.

‎The Champions League final provided a perfect snapshot, when Dembélé positioned himself just meters from Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer, ready to suffocate any attempt at a short build-up. It was a small detail, but it summed up how essential he had become to PSG’s system.

‎A Season Written in Records

‎The numbers attached to Dembélé’s 2024–25 campaign are staggering. In the Champions League, he was voted Player of the Year, scoring eight goals and assisting six more across 15 matches. No PSG player had ever been so decisive in a single European campaign.

‎Across all competitions, Dembélé ended the season with 33 goals and 13 assists, an output that emphasizes his evolution into a complete attacker.

‎Since the start of 2025, he has scored 27 times for PSG, making him the second-highest scorer among players in Europe’s top five leagues. But beyond just goals, he was directly involved in 36 of them in 2025 alone, more than any other player in Europe’s elite leagues a contribution that speaks volumes about his all-round impact.

‎Efficiency was another hallmark of his year. He found the net once every 81 minutes in 2025, the second-best ratio in Europe, only behind Alexander Sørloth’s 74-minute average.

‎On the domestic level, Dembélé hit another personal milestone by finishing as Ligue 1’s top scorer with 21 goals the first Golden Boot of his career.

‎These aren’t just statistics. They tell the story of a player at the absolute peak of his powers, finally fulfilling his promise after years of unfulfilled potential.

‎Yamal: The Challenger for Tomorrow

‎None of this diminishes Lamine Yamal’s brilliance. At 18, he is already one of the most gifted attackers in world football, dazzling with technical mastery and vision that beyond his age.

‎Few doubt he will lift multiple Ballon d’Ors in the years to come.

‎But the key question is timing. Should the Ballon d’Or be about who looks most talented right now, or about who has delivered the most decisive season?

‎Yamal’s future is inevitable; Dembélé’s present is unrepeatable. To overlook him in the year he set records and redefined his career would be to strip meaning from the award itself.

‎Why This Year Belongs to Dembélé

‎Leaders aren’t defined solely by flair they’re defined by the moments when they deliver and elevate those around them. Dembélé has been that figure for PSG: the tireless presser, the creative spark, the finisher in the biggest games.

‎This season was not just a collection of highlights; it was a statement of greatness.

‎From his Champions League dominance to his domestic scoring crown, from his role in PSG’s quadruple to his relentless work off the ball, Dembélé’s fingerprints are everywhere.