Paris Saint-Germain are coming off their greatest season ever, clinching their first UEFA Champions League title. Main the cost was Ousmane Dembele, who emerged because the group’s standout participant amidst an inflow of younger expertise. His distinctive efficiency earned him the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Curiously, as an alternative of favoring himself for a repeat, the French star endorsed one other participant for the award—notably, it isn’t Lamine Yamal.
Within the combined zone after PSG’s newest match, Ousmane Dembele was requested whether or not he considers that Kylian Mbappe will win the Ballon d’Or. The PSG star expressed excessive hopes for his good friend, saying, “He completely deserves it for his profession. He’s had a superb begin to the season, constantly discovering the again of the online. I hope he retains this momentum and sometime wins the Ballon d’Or.“
Regardless of early criticisms throughout his preliminary days at Actual Madrid, Kylian Mbappe has change into the group’s cornerstone, outshining even Vinicius Jr. Successful the 2025 European Golden Boot and kicking off the 2025-26 season in outstanding kind, the French star is now a number one contender for the Ballon d’Or. This prestigious award, which has remained out of his attain for over a decade in skilled soccer, may lastly be inside his grasp.
Though Ousmane could wager for Kylian to clinch the Ballon d’Or, Lamine Yamal has emerged as his fiercest competitor for the distinguished award. At simply 18, Yamal claimed second place within the voting, showcasing his spectacular stage. With Barcelona acting at peak ranges, the younger Spaniard goals to raise his sport additional and information the group to a Champions League title. Reaching this might solidify his standing because the award’s winner.
Kylian Mbappe of Actual Madrid celebrates scoring a objective vs Getafe.
The Ballon d’Or faces backlash over unclear standards for choosing the winner
For over 15 years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi reigned supreme, clinching the Ballon d’Or in an period marked by their simple dominance. Now, with each icons having exited European soccer, the award faces rising scrutiny as a result of its ambiguous standards. Critics argue that particular person efficiency and collective success have change into secondary, having the UEFA Champions League title as an ordinary, which seems to closely affect the selection of the winner.
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The factors, in line with France Soccer, for the distinguished award embody particular person efficiency, group achievements, and sportsmanship. Regardless of Nuno Mendes and Vitinha having gained the identical titles with PSG, they added the 2025 Nations League, having a definite truth to earn the award. Having picked Dembele as an alternative, raised doubts on whether or not the critecia was being adopted.
With this in thoughts, if Lamine or Kylian need to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, they should safe the Champions League and be their group’s high scorer, as this seems to be the deciding issue within the newest version. Moreover, their efficiency within the World Cup could possibly be essential, as excelling with each their membership and nationwide group might tip the stability of their favor.
