Giroud: I never thought Dembele can win Ballon d'Or when we are in National Team

Former France captain Olivier Giroud has explained the key behind Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or success after admitting he never imagined his former France teammate would one day win the award. 

The Paris Saint-Germain forward capped off a remarkable season with 35 goals and a Champions League win, becoming the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner on Monday night.

Dembele’s career has had its ups and downs. At Barcelona, he struggled with injuries and inconsistency, leading many to doubt if he could ever live up to his price tag. But his move to PSG in 2023 proved decisive, as he regained form and fitness and became a key figure in their first-ever Champions League title win.

Speaking to L’Equipe, Giroud admitted that while Dembele’s ability was never in question, he did not see him as a future Ballon d’Or winner during their time together with the French national team.

“Would I see him as a potential Ballon d'Or winner? It’s hard to say, but when I saw him every day in the French national team, no, I didn’t necessarily see it as a possibility,” the former France captain added.

“To win the Ballon d’Or, you have to have the talent, but also a good season. He has the talent, but he had to have a good season, at the right club, while winning everything. The Ballon d’Or always depends on collective successes.”

The PSG star became only the sixth Frenchman in history to lift the Ballon d’Or, following in the footsteps of Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema. In his career-best season, the Frenchman led his team to the Quintuple, scoring 35 goals and providing 16 assists. 

Dembele sat out PSG’s rescheduled Ligue 1 clash with Marseille on Monday as he continues to recover from an injury picked up during the international break. The winger is targeting a return this weekend, with hopes of being available for the club against Auxerre on Saturday.