ไทย
English
中國人
"I've always been the quiet one at the back, putting in the work. Throughout my entire career, I haven't made noise. I've just worked incredibly hard," said Ousmane Dembélé when asked about his prospects of claiming the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
Dembélé's journey has been far from smooth, yet his dedication has never been in doubt. Last year, he was awarded football's most prestigious individual honor—the reward for a breathtaking season with Paris Saint-Germain that ended with the club lifting their first-ever Champions League trophy.
After bursting onto the scene in France and then struggling to meet expectations at Barcelona, Dembélé finally put his critics to rest by rightfully claiming the prize. No one could dispute the decision as all his relentless effort bore fruit.
But for the next edition of the Ballon d'Or, the outcome is far less certain. Dembélé, once again, is among the frontrunners, but faces fierce competition from the likes of Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and several of his PSG teammates.
Whether Dembélé, 29, will become the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2017 to successfully defend the Ballon d'Or is yet to be determined, but there is plenty of evidence to suggest he deserves to.
Another Champions League Crown
Voters for the next Ballon d'Or will only be evaluating player performances between Aug. 3, 2025 and July 19, 2026, meaning anything done earlier in the current season carries no weight in the decision—or at least it shouldn't.
It would be shortsighted, then, to underestimate the significance of winning the Champions League within that window. Europe's most elite club competition consistently plays a major role in shaping the Ballon d'Or vote, with the winner typically coming from the continent's dominant side.
Having ended their long wait for Champions League glory the previous season, PSG successfully defended their title at the conclusion of the 2025–26 campaign, with Dembélé playing a pivotal role in their achievement.
The Frenchman featured 13 times in the competition as PSG navigated another demanding path to the final, contributing eight goals and two assists on the European stage—only four fewer goal involvements than during their previous title-winning run.
Big-Game Moments
Dembélé's European campaign was not built on easy pickings against weaker sides in the league phase. In fact, just two of his goal involvements came before the knockout rounds—a goal in the 7–2 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen and an assist in a defeat to Sporting CP.
Instead, he reserved his finest performances for the high-pressure moments.
Dembélé truly came into his own during the knockout stage, starting with a goal in PSG's 5–2 round of 16 first-leg victory over Chelsea. After helping the club reach the quarterfinals, he then delivered a composed brace in the second leg away at Liverpool, highlighting his exceptional finishing quality.
His most impressive contribution came at the semifinal stage, however, with a brace in PSG's thrilling 5–4 first-leg win over Bayern Munich. Dembélé then got on the scoresheet in the return leg in Germany, completing a slick move early on to hand the French giants a vital two-goal aggregate lead.
That proved enough to send PSG through to the final, where Dembélé would strike once more. After going behind to Arsenal in the early stages, it was his powerful penalty that restored parity, marking his seventh goal of the knockout phase.
Confirmed Shortlists
• Ballon d'Or Nominees (Men's and Women's)
• Kopa Trophy Nominees (Men's and Women's
• Yashin Trophy Nominees (Men's and Women's Goalkeeper of the Year)
• Club of the Year Nominees (Men's and Women's
• Coach of the Year Nominees (Men's and Women's)
Relentless Creativity
Dembélé's remarkable output was not limited to the Champions League. Only a third of his total goal contributions across the season (30) came in that competition, with the rest distributed across Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, Trophées des Champions and the UEFA Super Cup.
Unsurprisingly, the majority of his goals and assists came in Ligue 1, where PSG cruised to yet another league title. Dembélé featured just 22 times—with only half of those as starts—due to injuries and squad rotation ahead of more important European fixtures, yet he still managed 10 goals and seven assists.
No PSG player recorded a higher total during the title-winning campaign, with Bradley Barcola the club's next most productive contributor with 12 goal involvements. While Ligue 1 is not the most competitive league in world football, Dembélé's contribution was vital to another triumphant season for France's top club.
The Eye Test
Goalscoring figures, statistical data and silverware are all important factors in judging a player's quality, but sometimes the eye test matters just as much—and few players are more electrifying to watch than Dembélé.
Thriving as Luis Enrique's false nine, Dembélé is simply a joy to watch. Able to drop deep to link play, drift wide to open up space or leave defenders in his wake with blistering pace, he truly possesses every tool imaginable.
He is well known for his ability with both feet—and rightly so—which is central to his adaptability for club and country, and he possesses a rare talent for striking the ball with an extraordinary combination of accuracy and power.
PSG are the most fluid attacking side in the world and Dembélé is a cornerstone of their captivating style of play.
Classy World Cup Campaign
The World Cup will carry considerable weight in the Ballon d'Or vote, and while France fell short of winning the tournament in North America, they reached the semifinals on the back of some spectacular attacking football. Dembélé was central to their impressive run.
The 67-cap international contributed five goals and two assists across eight appearances in the tournament, including a hat-trick against Norway, a quarterfinal goal against Morocco and a strike in the third-place playoff against England. While not quite as prolific as Kylian Mbappé or as creative as Michael Olise for Les Bleus, his displays should not be overlooked.
Had France gone on to win the tournament, Dembélé would have been a near-certain back-to-back winner, but the combination of his World Cup performances and extraordinary success with PSG make him a deserving candidate regardless.