Ousmane Dembélé Wins 2025 Ballon d’Or, Supports Kylian Mbappé’s Future Chances

PARIS, France – Ousmane Dembélé was awarded the 2025 Ballon d’Or on September 21 at a ceremony held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Dembélé’s remarkable performance with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) played a pivotal role in his triumph, despite facing stiff competition from other candidates.

Following his win, Dembélé voiced his hopes for his former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappé to claim the prestigious award in the future. “I hope he wins it, he deserves it for his career. He’s had a very good start to the season, he keeps scoring goals. He’s a friend of mine, I hope he continues like this. I hope one day he wins the Ballon d’Or,” Dembélé stated after PSG’s recent victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

Dembélé and Mbappé were teammates for just one season at PSG but have been long-standing friends on the French national team. Mbappé, who started the 2025-26 season strongly with 15 goals and two assists in all competitions, could be a favorite for the next Ballon d’Or if he maintains this form and leads France into a successful World Cup campaign next year.

This victory marks Dembélé as the sixth French player to win the Ballon d’Or, coming ahead of notable players including Lamine Yamal, who was cited as a contender for the 2026 award. Dembélé’s achievements this year are an inspiration as he aims to help PSG and the French national team continue their successes.

In the locker room, Dembélé is seen as a leader by his teammates. Warren Zaire-Emery expressed excitement about Dembélé’s return, stating, “It feels good when we get people back into the group. Especially when it is executives who are there to push us and give advice.”

As Dembélé transitions into this new chapter as a Ballon d’Or winner, he remains focused on team goals and contributing to PSG’s future successes.