“I’m thinking about the Ballon d’Or. With the season I’ve had, I know I’m not far.” These words now carry weight as Ousmane Dembele heads into the Club World Cup semi-final against Real Madrid, having delivered the season of his life.
Dembele has already been the driving force behind PSG’s treble-winning campaign — lifting the Champions League, Ligue 1, and Coupe de France. With one more trophy within reach, he is firmly in the race for the world’s most coveted individual award, the Ballon d’Or. Many now see it as a two-horse race between him and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
Ironically, the departure of PSG’s all-time top scorer, Kylian Mbappe, may have set the stage for Dembele’s transformation. Mbappe’s exit left a void — not just of goals, but of leadership. And into that space stepped a more mature, focused, and lethal Dembele.
Back in 2017, Dembele became the world’s second-most expensive player after moving to Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund. His pace and flair were never in doubt, but injuries and off-field distractions derailed his progress. At Barcelona, he struggled with discipline, regularly arriving late to training, and suffered 14 separate muscle injuries, missing over 700 days of action. His lifestyle — often centered around gaming and poor nutrition — prompted the club to assign him private chefs and medical support.
But something changed in the final stretch of his Barca stint. Dembele quietly got married in Morocco in December 2021, and not long after, he became a father. The shift in priorities was clear. He began working with personal physios, embraced nutrition advice from a dedicated French expert, and started seeing his career with renewed seriousness.
After PSG triggered his £43.5m release clause in 2023, he had a solid first season — six goals, 14 assists — but was still in the shadow of Mbappe, who scored 44 times. When Mbappe left, PSG needed a new talisman. Dembele answered the call.
Manager Luis Enrique challenged him to step up, to be more selfish and goal-hungry. No longer confined to the right wing, Dembele was deployed as a false nine — giving him the freedom to drop deep, link play, and attack from central areas. It suited him perfectly. The result? 34 goals and 15 assists in 51 games. More than the stats, it’s the authority and consistency that now define his game.
Behind the scenes, PSG staff credit Dembele’s improved finishing and discipline as key to both individual and team success. He has taken their messages to heart — converting more of the chances he used to create but miss.
Even Mbappe himself weighed in, saying he would vote for Dembele to win the Ballon d’Or. The passing of the torch was not just symbolic, but perhaps inevitable.
PSG once believed a Champions League title would arrive through the brilliance of one French star. They were right — just not the one everyone expected. Instead, it was Dembele, finally living up to his long-hyped potential, who delivered the ultimate triumph.
