PSG’s defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final has tilted the balance of Ballon d’Or race more evenly.
Who will win the 2025 Ballon d’Or? Bets seem to center on just two names: Dembélé and Lamine Yamal, though there are other candidates, including Raphinha. PSG’s loss to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final in the United States has leveled a playing field that had previously favored the Frenchman.
It appeared Dembélé had taken a giant step toward his golden coronation in the semifinal against Real Madrid. While he played few minutes in the round of 16 and quarterfinals, against the Blancos he showed the same dominance as in the Champions League final. The [Club World Cup] final was supposed to serve as his definitive seal of approval. That was not the case. He barely made an impact.
The French forward and former Barça player left without a title, and now presents these credentials to the jury that will award the prize on September 22 at Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet: Champions League winner, tournament MVP, and a goal in the final; Ligue 1 champion and top scorer; Coupe de France champion; and Trophée des Champions winner. He is still missing the UEFA Super Cup, which he will contest against Tottenham.
In total, Dembélé has tallied 35 goals and 15 assists in 52 matches for PSG throughout the season. “He has shown himself to be a cut above the rest for the Ballon d’Or,” Luis Enrique recently defended. And this from a manager not particularly fond of individual awards.
Lamine Yamal could be a tough rival in the race for the Ballon d’Or. The Barça youth product claimed LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España with Barcelona. He was eliminated from the Champions League in the semifinals and also came within a step of winning the Nations League with Spain, losing to Portugal in the final.
His stats show 18 goals in domestic competitions, plus three more with the Spanish national team—21 in total. Along with 25 assists, all while wearing the Blaugrana jersey.
Dembélé brandishes the Champions League as his biggest title, but Lamine Yamal’s magic at such a young age, and all the precocity records he has broken at both club and international level, give him strong chances. Then there is Raphinha, with more goals, the same titles, but lacking that differential spark.