PSG's Ousmane Dembélé Emerges Leading Ballon d'Or Contender

Ousmane Dembélé has emerged as the clear favorite for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, thanks to his instrumental role in Paris Saint-Germain's historic season where they secured the Ligue 1 title, their first Champions League trophy, and multiple domestic cups under manager Luis Enrique. Despite a rocky start to the season marked by disciplinary issues and injury concerns, Dembélé's resurgence has been pivotal, highlighted by his recent dominant performance in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal against Real Madrid, where he scored and assisted to lead PSG to a 4-0 victory. Luis Enrique has been vocal in his praise, calling Dembélé the best player in the world currently and emphasizing his contributions of goals, assists, and silverware as criteria for the prestigious award. The French winger's consistency and impact have helped PSG set a club record for most wins in a season and positioned them for a potential historic treble if they win the upcoming Club World Cup final against Chelsea. Gareth Bale also endorsed Dembélé's candidacy, citing the player's transformative effect on the team and their trophy haul. PSG and Dembélé now aim to cap the season by winning the Club World Cup, completing a campaign that could be remembered as one of the most successful in the club's history.