Ousmane Dembélé played a key role in PSG’s emphatic win over Real Madrid in the Club World Cup semifinal, and now he’s emerged as a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or.
Back in 2017, Dembélé joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund for a massive £135.5 million fee—making him the second-most expensive player in the world at the time, only behind Neymar. Years later, Barcelona president Joan Laporta boldly claimed in 2021, “He’s better than Kylian Mbappé.”
That same year, after becoming Barça’s coach, Xavi Hernandez praised Dembélé highly, saying, “If used properly, he can be the best player in the world.” But things took a turn just two months later. Struggling financially, Barcelona asked him to either accept a lower salary or leave. Xavi even began to exclude him from the squad. That period summed up Dembélé’s time at the club—immensely talented, but plagued by injuries, inconsistency, and a strained relationship with management. Over six years at Barça, he played 185 matches and scored 40 goals.
In August 2023, PSG signed Dembélé for £43.5 million. And in just two seasons, he’s already surpassed his goal tally from Barcelona. The French winger has scored 41 goals in 94 matches for PSG. In Wednesday night’s 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid, Dembélé not only scored but also assisted a goal. After the match, PSG coach Luis Enrique showered him with praise.
Dembélé had missed the group stage of the Club World Cup due to a thigh injury. He came off the bench in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals, then finally started in the semifinal. Speaking about his performance, Enrique said, “This is the first time we had Dembélé in the starting XI. In my opinion, he’s the best player of the season. He deserves to win everything because he’s given everything to the club.”
This season, PSG have won every competition they’ve entered—Ligue 1, the French Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. Dembélé has been at the heart of that success. He’s the joint top-scorer in Ligue 1 with 21 goals, despite playing fewer matches (29) than Marseille’s Mason Greenwood (34). Across all competitions, Dembélé has 35 goals and 16 assists in 52 matches—making him PSG’s top scorer this season.
Luis Enrique has previously said Dembélé deserves to win the Ballon d’Or this year. And after the Real Madrid match, he repeated his stance: “Many players can win the Ballon d’Or. But you need something special—passing, dribbling, helping your team succeed. One player has done it all, and that’s Ousmane Dembélé. He’s different from the rest.”
PSG will face Chelsea in Sunday’s Club World Cup final, and Enrique is hoping Dembélé delivers again: “He’s the kind of player everyone wants to watch… I hope we have him for the final too.”
Looking back on Dembélé’s club career shows just how exceptional his current form is. He played 29 matches and scored 12 goals for Rennes, had 10 goals in 50 games for Dortmund, and we already know his numbers at Barcelona. But remarkably, 35 of his 41 PSG goals have come this season alone.
Dembélé’s main rival for the Ballon d’Or appears to be Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal. Across all club and national team competitions this season, Yamal has scored 21 goals and provided 25 assists in 62 matches. Barcelona won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, while Yamal also helped Spain finish runners-up in the Nations League.
In the Club World Cup semifinal, while Real Madrid managed just one real chance in the first half, Dembélé created three. Speaking about the Ballon d’Or before the match, Dembélé said: “I’m thinking about the Ballon d’Or. With the kind of season I’ve had, I don’t think I’m far off.”
But perhaps PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi summed it up best. Speaking to DAZN just days before the Real Madrid clash, he said, “It’s been an incredible season for Ousmane. If he doesn’t win the Ballon d’Or, there’s something wrong. Because he’s done everything.”
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on September 22 in Paris.
