Last Monday, September 22, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony and award presentation took place, where French player Ousmane Dembélé claimed the prize, positioning himself as the best player in the world after a spectacular campaign with his team, Paris Saint-Germain, during the 2024-25 season.
After so much media attention, the 28-year-old forward achieved the most prestigious individual award in world football, where in his speech he recalled Messi and his time at Barcelona:
“I fulfilled my dreams with Barcelona and I was able to play alongside Messi and Iniesta. It was a true learning experience.”
Following his words, Ousmane also highlighted the incredible year he had with PSG, as well as the confidence shown by his coach Luis Enrique and the club’s president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, whom he considered like fathers to him.
Did Dembélé deserve to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or?
Absolutely yes. Even though many media outlets, sports professionals, and footballers claimed that the clear winner should have been Raphinha, the Barcelona player, the Frenchman’s numbers were astonishing. On top of that, he won almost every title in which his team participated.
