Ousmane Dembélé starts campaign for 2026 Ballon d’Or

Ousmane Dembélé has entered the race to retain the Ballon d’Or after helping Paris Saint-Germain secure another major European honour. The 29-year-old France international remains with PSG, who won a second consecutive Champions League title, and is the current holder of the individual award.

Dembélé recorded 20 goals and 11 assists in 40 appearances for PSG last season. He added six goals and two assists at the World Cup, where France finished third. Those figures form the core of his case as one of the 30 nominees for the 2026 prize.

The forward acknowledged that physical problems affected the opening part of his campaign, but believes his influence increased when the most important matches arrived. His assessment comes despite a lower level of efficiency than in the previous season, with his decisive contributions providing a central argument for his candidacy.

Dembélé has not placed himself as the clear favourite and considers the contest open. He expects the award to remain with a PSG player, with the club represented by nine nominees, alongside Ferran Torres, who joined during the summer. The winner will be announced in London on 26 October 2026.