Ousmane Dembélé’s inspirational Ballon d’Or journey

Monday, September 22, is a date Ousmane Dembélé will never forget.

There was a time when Dembélé’s brilliance was overshadowed by doubts -  injuries, inconsistency and whispers that he might never rise to his true potential.

Now, crowned winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or, he stands as proof that the brightest stars sometimes need to burn slowly before shining the brightest.

Sports News Blitz writer Sarim Ahmed takes a look at his career so far.