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Welcome back to The High Ground—a football newsletter that’s as inviting as scoring an open goal.
Sometimes a player’s story is about more than just goals. It’s about scars, comebacks, timing, and finally arriving. Ousmane Dembélé is that kind of story. Entering 2025, many knew the talent. Few expected the Ballon d’Or.
Why Ousmane Dembélé Was Favourite for the 2025 Ballon d’Or
According to The Analyst, the bookmakers, and pretty much everyone who kept score, Dembélé was the clear frontrunner.
Here’s the data that pushed him to the top:
Team success: PSG lifted pretty much the lot — Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Champions League.
Big performances: In the Champions League, in finals, in crucial knockout ties. He came through when it mattered most.
Personal numbers: Scored/assisted heavily. Took his chances, made key plays, created and converted in high-pressure spots.
What Makes This Win Feel Different
Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or feels like more than just an award—it’s vindication.
Injury-prone, under-appreciated earlier: Many seasons of flashes, brilliance, but also stops and starts. This one was nearly injury-free and nearly perfect.
From the shadows to leading man: PSG’s squad has stars everywhere; Dembélé stepped up when others slipped.
Comparison pressure: He was up against Lamine Yamal (young, exciting) and others who had standout seasons. But Dembélé’s blend of individual impact + trophies gave him the edge.
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By the Numbers: What Separated Him
What made Ousmane Dembélé the clear winner weren’t just trophies — it was a season of output, moments, and consistency that outshone almost everyone. These are the confirmed stats that formed his case:
Dembélé scored 35 goals and provided 14 assists in 53 competitive appearances for PSG in 2024-25.
In Ligue 1, he was joint top scorer with 21 goals, and he registered the most goal involvements (goals + assists) in the league with 27 (21 goals, 6 assists) among all players.
He scored 20 non-penalty goals, which was at least six more than any other player in Ligue 1.
In the Champions League, he made 14 goal involvements (8 goals, 6 assists) during PSG’s run to their first ever title.
PSG won Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and for the first time in their history, the UEFA Champions League in 2024-25. That’s a major treble.
In the Champions League final vs Inter, PSG won 5-0. Dembélé contributed two assists in that match.
Possible Talking Points & Criticism
No win is without its doubters, and Dembélé’s is no different.
Some will say the Ballon d’Or should weigh individual brilliance more than team success.
Others will point at his weaker periods, or compare him to players who maybe seemed more “spectacular” but less consistent.
There’ll be debate over whether Yamal or others might have been more “exciting” or should have taken the stage.
But in awards like this, the balance often swings toward complete seasons, not just highlight reels. Dembélé delivered that.
High Ground takeaway: Dembélé’s win marks a turning point: the torch of “promise” becomes the crown of “fulfilled potential.”
After so many seasons of “what could be,” this is season of what is. He didn’t just perform. He dominated. Not just in flashes, but with substance. Not just in matches, but in moments that decide titles.
For PSG. For France. And for anyone who believed that Dembélé always had it inside him.
