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.
The wonderkid at Dortmund
Before injuries and question marks, there was the young phenom who lit up the Bundesliga.
After emerging at Rennes, Dembélé’s leap to Borussia Dortmund in 2016 showcased his raw genius.
His debut season in Germany was electric: dazzling dribbling, gorgeous goals and assists threaded through tight defences.
Fans and pundits alike marvelled at his two-footedness and flair. He seemed as dangerous cutting inside as he was bursting to the byline, and there were points at which opposition goalkeepers didn’t know what foot he was taking a penalty with.
At 19, he wasn’t just a prospect. He was one of Europe’s hottest talents.
Finishing his breakout season with 30 goal contributions, it was certainly a campaign to be proud of for the Frenchman.
And that kind of status is always accompanied by attention from the biggest clubs in the world.
Barcelona: Testing times
When Barcelona paid over €100 million for him in 2017, expectations soared.
The flashy winger from Dortmund had big boots to fill with Barcelona fan favourite Neymar moving away to PSG earlier in the summer.
But no one seemed to doubt that the kid could perform to his high standards.
Yet, the Camp Nou years were marked by flashes of brilliance disrupted by constant setbacks. A good performance and a showcase of talent would be followed by months in the physio’s room.
Whilst residing in Catalonia, Dembélé was out with an injury for just shy of 800 days. His dream move shattered into a nightmare along with the condition of his body.
The media started to tear into him, and Dembélé seemed to be getting pressed in every direction he went - and unlike if he was on the pitch, he could not escape it.
Questions about his lifestyle, commitment, and consistency grew louder. His talent was undeniable, but whispers of “streets won’t forget” began to surround his name.
Reinvention at PSG
The turning point came with his move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2023. Luis Enrique didn’t just give Dembélé a new role; he gave him renewed belief.
He wasn’t the focal point straight away, of course. Whilst history repeated itself and found that Ousmane was replacing Neymar, one superstar remained - THE wonderkid, Kylian Mbappé.
His national team-mate and the one who beat him to the Golden Boy award in 2017, Dembélé was fully aware of Mbappé’s talent.
At that moment in time, Mbappé seemed to have his club, and many others, on strings. It seemed as though a player was finally bigger than the club, and he took full advantage of it.
But when PSG’s top scorer of all time got his long-awaited move to Spanish giants Real Madrid, it was now or never for Ousmane Dembélé to let the world know he was still a force to be reckoned with.
No longer tethered strictly to the wing, Dembélé was encouraged to drift centrally, link play, and add finishing to his repertoire.
He became a hybrid attacker: still capable of entertaining the masses, but now also a consistent scorer and creator.
Off the pitch, he matured too. Fitness improved, discipline sharpened, and he began to embrace responsibility. Team-mates spoke of a more vocal, determined figure - a leader rather than just an entertainer.
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The season that changed everything
The 2024/25 campaign cemented his redemption. Week after week, Dembélé produced decisive contributions
He was involved in at least one goal per game from the Champions League quarter-finals to the final itself, contributing to 29 goals in as many games during their Ligue-1-winning campaign, and consistency that turned him from the sideline to indispensable.
When PSG finally lifted their first-ever Champions League trophy, Dembélé was at the heart of it, earning player of the tournament
A treble-winning season, whilst being the main man with 35 goals and 16 assists, is not a bad way of silencing the critics and letting them know you were never really gone.
And if they somehow needed more convincing, I’m sure Dembélé would let them have a glimpse of the Ballon d’Or trophy he won for it.
Legacy
Ousmane Dembélé’s story is a reminder that football careers are rarely linear.
His Ballon d’Or is more than an individual accolade; it’s a redemption tale and an inspiration to those other footballers being held back from the light due to unfortunate circumstances.
And so, when Dembélé stood under the Parisian lights holding the golden ball, it wasn’t just a crowning moment. It was vindication.
The wonderkid became the superstar. The doubted became the decorated.
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