Kylian Mbappe Names His Ballon d’Or Pick Between Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele
- France captain Kylian Mbappe has given his verdict on who should win this year's Ballon d'Or
- The 26-year-old has backed his international teammate Ousmane Dembele to win the Golden Ball
- Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha and Mbappe are the main contenders for the award
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has backed Ousmane Dembele to win the Ballon d'Or after the Champions League triumph.
Dembélé delivered two assists as Paris Saint-Germain demolished Inter Milan 5-0 to claim their first-ever Champions League title at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Saturday.
Source: Getty Images
The French winger capped off a dream season with the Ligue 1 champions, scoring 33 goals and providing 15 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, per Goal.
Who are the Ballon d'Or contenders?
As the 2024–25 season wraps up, the debate over this year’s Ballon d’Or winner is heating up.
A number of top names are in contention for the coveted Golden Ball.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah had an outstanding campaign, playing a key role in securing the club’s record-equalling 20th English league title, while Barcelona duo Raphinha and Lamine Yamal also make strong cases after leading the Catalan side to a domestic treble.
Mbappe names his Ballon d'Or favourite
France captain Mbappé, however, is confident that his compatriot Dembélé is the clear frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or following PSG's historic treble-winning season.
Speaking to reporters ahead of France’s Nations League third-place clash with Germany, Mbappé stated:
“Would I vote for Dembele? Yes. Do I really need to explain? We’re talking about Yamal and Dembele, I’m going for Dembele. It’s very clear,” said Mbappe, as quoted by RMC Sport.
Source: Getty Images
Mbappe assesses his chance of winning Ballon d'Or
At the same time, the Real Madrid star, once again outshone by Yamal in Spain’s 5-4 victory over France in this week’s Nations League semi-final, admitted that much could still change before Ballon d’Or voting takes place.
“Things change very quickly, as the latest winners have shown. We weren’t talking about certain players who won in the end,” Mbappe stated.
“Is it September? A lot will happen between now and then, but today we’re talking about Ousmane and Lamine. That’s why I replied.”
What's next for Mbappe and Dembele?
Dembele and Mbappe will be in action again for the France national team when they face Germany in the third-place match of the Nations League on Sunday, June 8.
The duo will then join their respective clubs for the upcoming Club World Cup, scheduled to be played in the United States from June 14 to July 13, 2025.
Dembele receives cold message from Lamine Yamal
After the Spain and France match, Yamal sent a clear message to anyone still doubting his potential.
Speaking to the media, as cited by Fabrizio Romano, he delivered a sharp yet humble response:
“The important thing is to talk on the field.”
When is the next Ballon d'Or ceremony?
The 2025 Ballon d'Or winner will be announced on September 22, 2025 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
Enrique backs Dembele for Ballon d'Or
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Luis Enrique believes Dembele deserves the Ballon d’Or following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League victory.
The French side sealed their long-awaited first European title with a stunning 5-0 win over Inter Milan in Munich.
Source: YEN.com.gh
