Ousmane Dembélé. From “Lost Talent” to Ballon d’Or Favourite

His move to Paris Saint-Germain transformed everything. Fitter, more disciplined, and mentally sharper. He`s great leader of this PSG.

Ousmane Dembele striker of PSG and favorite to win the Ballon d`Or.

In the summer of 2017, Barcelona spent up to €148 million to sign Ousmane Dembélé from Borussia Dortmund, choosing him over a then little-known Kylian Mbappé. Touted as the “new Neymar,” his pace, dribbling, and two-footed skill suggested a global superstar in the making.

Reality at Camp Nou was much harsher. Fourteen injuries, 119 missed matches, and inconsistency left him with just 40 goals and 41 assists in 185 appearances — numbers far from the Ballon D’Or (Discoveryfootball.com Editor-in-Chief Manos Staramopoulos votes for Greece) expectations that once surrounded him.

The move to Paris Saint-Germain transformed everything. Fitter, more disciplined, and mentally sharper, Dembélé found in Luis Enrique the coach who finally “unlocked” his full potential. The 2024-25 season became the turning point: 36 goals and 17 assists in 54 matches, leading PSG to five trophies — the French Super Cup, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Super Cup.

The crowning moment came in the UEFA Super Cup final against Tottenham. With PSG trailing 2-0 until the 85th minute, Dembélé created the equaliser with a pinpoint assist and scored in the shootout, sealing the club’s first ever triumph in the competition. Named Man of the Match, he handed the award to debutant goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, a gesture reflecting his newfound humility.

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Behind this transformation were key changes: disciplined training habits, improved diet, far fewer injuries, and stability in his personal life following his marriage to Rima Edbouche and the birth of their daughter. From paying fines for being late to training after PlayStation marathons, he now wins MVP awards sponsored by PlayStation.

Luis Enrique calls him “a leader through humility” and insists there should be no debate over this year’s Ballon d’Or winner. Contenders do exist (18-year-old Lamine Yamal had a phenomenal season for Barcelona) but no one combined Dembélé’s numbers, titles, and decisive influence.

France has seen only five different players lift the Ballon d’Or. Karim Benzema, in 2022, succeeded Zinedine Zidane (1998). Now, in 2025, it looks set to be the year when the once-fragile “mosquito” strikes with the power of a bee, completing one of football’s most remarkable career turnarounds.