Five Reasons Why Ousmane Dembele Should Win the 2026 Ballon d’Or
“I’ve always been at the back of the class working hard. Throughout my career, I haven’t said a word. I’ve worked incredibly hard,” responded Ousmane Dembélé when quizzed about his chances of winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Dembélé’s career has been littered with bumps in the road, but his diligence cannot be questioned. Last year, he was honored with soccer’s most coveted individual accolade courtesy of that industry—a result of astonishing campaign with Paris Saint-Germain that culminated in a first-ever Champions League title for the club.
After emerging as a wonderkid in France and proceeding to fall short of expectations at Barcelona, Dembélé had finally silenced his doubters by deservedly clinching the prize. Nobody could argue against the outcome as all his hard work paid off.
But for the upcoming edition of the Ballon d’Or, the victor is less predictable. Dembélé, yet again, is among the leading candidates, but faces stiff competition from the likes of Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and an array of his PSG clubmates.
Whether Dembélé, 29, will become the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2017 to defend the Ballon d’Or remains to be seen, but there’s plenty of evidence to suggest he should.
Another Champions League Crown
Voters for the upcoming Ballon d’Or will only be considering player performances between Aug. 3, 2025 and July 19, 2026, meaning nothing done early in the current campaign impacts the decision—or shouldn’t, at least.
It would be naïve, therefore, to underplay the importance of winning the Champions League in that timeframe. Europe’s most prestigious club competition always has a significant influence on the outcome of the Ballon d’Or vote, with the award’s recipient often representing the continent’s leading side.
After ending their agonizing wait for the Champions League trophy last season, PSG went back-to-back with their triumph at the end of the 2025–26 campaign, and Dembélé was instrumental to their success.
The Frenchman turned out 13 times in the competition as PSG took another complicated route to the showpiece event, producing eight goals and a further two assists on the European stage—only four goal involvements fewer than in the previous title-winning campaign.
Big-Game Moments
Dembélé’s European campaign involved no stat-padding against the competition’s minnows in the league phase. In fact, just two of two of his goal involvements came prior to the knockout stage—a goal in the 7–2 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen and an assist in defeat to Sporting CP.
Instead, he saved his best displays for the pressure moments.
Dembélé came alive during the knockout stage, beginning with a strike in PSG’s 5–2 round of 16 first leg win over Chelsea. Having helped the club into the last eight, he then delivered a clinical brace in the quarterfinal second leg away at Liverpool which showcased his supreme finishing ability.
The forward’s best work came at the semifinal stage, though, with a brace bagged in PSG’s chaotic 5–4 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg. Dembélé then etched his name onto the scoresheet in the return fixture in Germany, finishing a slick move early in the match to offer the French giants a crucial two-goal aggregate cushion.
That was enough to see PSG into the final, where Dembélé would strike again. After falling behind to Arsenal early doors, it was his emphatic penalty kick which leveled proceedings, marking his seventh goal of the knockout stage.
Relentless Creativity
Dembélé’s outstanding output was not confined to the Champions League. Only a third of his total goals contributions across the season (30) came in the competition, with the remainder spread across Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, Trophées des Champions and UEFA Super Cup.
Naturally, the bulk of his goals and assists came in Ligue 1, where PSG marched unimpeded to yet another title. Dembélé only played 22 times—of which just half were starts—due to injuries and rotation ahead of more significant European matches, yet he still conjured 10 goals and seven assists.
No PSG player amassed a higher total during the title-winning journey, with Bradley Barcola the club’s next greatest provider with 12 goal contributions. While Ligue 1 is hardly the most competitive division in world soccer, Dembélé’s involvement was essential to another successful campaign for France’s leading side.
The Eye Test
Goalscoring numbers, underlying data and trophy hauls are certainly important in assessing a player’s worth, but sometimes the eye test is just as important—and few players are more dazzling to watch than Dembélé.
Functioning perfectly as Luis Enrique’s false nine, Dembélé is just so much fun. Capable of dropping deep to knit play, drifting out wide to create space or spinning opposition defenders with burning speed, he really does have every weapon in his arsenal.
He’s renowned for his two-footedness—and justifiably so—which is instrumental to his versatility for club and country, and he boasts an uncanny ability to strike the ball with a remarkable blend of precision and power.
PSG are the most fluid team on the planet and Dembélé is a key component in their stylish brand of soccer.
Classy World Cup Campaign
The World Cup will hold significant weight during the Ballon d’Or vote and while France didn’t win the title in North America, they journeyed to the semifinals courtesy of some astonishing attacking displays. Dembélé was integral to their deep run.
The 67-cap international delivered five goals and two assists during his eight outings in the competition, including a hat trick against Norway, quarterfinal strike against Morocco and goal in the third-placed playoff with England. While not quite as clinical as Kylian Mbappé or creative as Michael Olise for Les Bleus, his performances shouldn’t be undervalued.
Had France won the tournament, then Dembélé would have been an absolute shoo-in for consecutive awards, but the combination of his World Cup contributions and incredible success with PSG make him a worthy winner regardless.
