Ousmane Dembélé answers Mbappé over Ballon d’Or hopes

Ousmane Dembélé has pushed back against Kylian Mbappé’s description of their contrasting careers as the Paris Saint-Germain forward considers another Ballon d’Or triumph. Dembélé said his path was built through sustained work rather than early expectations, contrasting himself with Mbappé’s long-standing status as a leading prospect.

The 29-year-old made the comments after PSG’s 1-0 Ligue 1 victory away to Brest on Sunday. Dembélé was named the Ballon d’Or winner last year after a standout campaign with the Paris club, and he remains in contention to become the award’s first repeat winner at the ceremony on 26 October for the 2025-26 season.

Dembélé also played down the possibility, saying he would wait without pressure to see how voters decide. He was part of the PSG team that won the Champions League again last season, although teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia received the competition’s individual player award.

Mbappé, now at Real Madrid, is among Dembélé’s main French rivals for the prize. Other prominent names in the discussion include Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Jude Bellingham. Dembélé’s response keeps the focus on the difference between a career shaped by early acclaim and one that reached its highest individual recognition after years of effort.