After Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph on June 31, Luis Enrique has revealed that he thinks Ousmane Dembele is deserved of the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Every player on the pitch had an excellent match, and season, and therefore arguably it has been Enrique who has been the key to their success, but only one star can claim the prestigious award.
Luis Enrique Reveals Ousmane Dembele as His Ballon d’Or Choice
Leadership A Huge Trait
Enrique revealed after the 2025 Champions League Final that “I’d give the Ballon d’Or to Mr Dembele”, with “no doubts at all”. Interestingly, it was the forward’s defensive abilities that his manager praised the highest: “The way he defended tonight… only that can be worth the Ballon d’Or”.
Dembele, along with the team as a whole, implemented a very strong press that saw Inter Milan struggle to move the ball up the pitch at all, often reverting to long passes that failed. This saw PSG have a healthy 62% of possession in the first-half as they held a 2-0 lead at the break.
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Enrique also gave weight to Dembele’s leadership. The 28-year-old, in a side that boasts one of the youngest average ages in the competition, would’ve been particularly important both in the dressing room and on the pitch as a figurehead – playing against an Inter squad that has started eight out of the ten oldest lineups in the UCL this season.
Who Else Could Rival Ousmane Dembele?
In the PSG squad alone, there are many candidates for the award. With the Parisians becoming the first French side to complete the treble, some would argue that this year’s winner has to be one of their players.
Their midfield has been particularly important, with some naming Joao Neves and Vitinha as the most important players in Enrique’s system. Achraf Hakimi has played at right-back this season, but in a role that has seen tireless running, contributing to the midfield and even the attack, with ten goal contributions in the league and nine in Europe – including some particularly important goals in their road to the final.
In attack, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been Dembele’s partner in crime, whilst Bradley Barcola has chipped in throughout the season. Some may even name Desire Doue after his stunning performance in the final, though it would seem that his consistency in minutes throughout the season let him down at this stage.
Even across the continent, Barcelona’s Raphinha and Lamine Yamal have been touted as some of the best in the world, whilst Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is still world-class, with 37 league goal contributions. This must be one of the closest Ballon d’Or races in recent years, with so many potential candidates.
