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<p>Beats Lamine Yamal to claim the award</p>
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<p><img alt="Ousmane Dembélé wins the Ballon d'Or - The stats behind his incredible season" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/galerie/dembele-ballon-dor-1758558206-178349.jpg" title="Ousmane Dembélé wins the Ballon d'Or - The stats behind his incredible season"></p>
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<p>Ousmane Dembélé has officially been named the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner, adding his name to the prestigious list of the world's greatest footballers. After a high-profile €148 million transfer to Barcelona at just 20 years old, the French winger struggled to meet expectations at the Camp Nou, leading to concerns about his career trajectory. However, since returning to France with Paris Saint-Germain, the 28-year-old rebounded spectacularly last season under Luis Enrique, guiding the team to a historic treble, including the club's first-ever Champions League title.</p>
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<p><img alt="" height="629" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/ballon-dor-winners-1758558263-178350.jpg?lm=1758558267" width="503"></p>
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<p>Dembélé outperformed Barcelona's promising young player Lamine Yamal and Vitinha to secure the top spot, with Yamal and Vitinha finishing in second and third place, respectively. Dembélé becomes just the second PSG player, following Lionel Messi's win in 2023, to receive this honor. Throughout all competitions, he scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists for PSG last season. His pivotal move to a central forward role at the start of the year, combined with his partnership with January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (12th place in voting) and up-and-coming talent Désiré Doué (14th place), significantly contributed to the club's success. Let's delve into the impressive statistics from the 2024/25 season of the newest Ballon d'Or laureate and see how Dembélé stacks up against Europe's elite forwards.</p>
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<p><img alt="" height="629" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/dembele-in-24-25-1758556865-178347.png?lm=1758556954" width="503"></p>
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<h2>The statistics behind Ousmane Dembélé's remarkable season</h2>
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<p>As shown in the graphic above, Dembélé's last season was nothing short of spectacular. He achieved outstanding numbers in terms of goals and assists, and won four trophies in the process. This phenomenal performance not only earned him football's most prestigious individual accolade, the Ballon d'Or, but also resulted in a significant increase in his market value by €30 million, now standing at €90 million. When compared to other top attackers in Europe's premier leagues, Dembélé ranks fourth in the combined goal contributions (goals + assists) across all competitions.</p>
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<p><img alt="" height="629" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/most-goal-contributions-1758556465-178346.png?lm=1758556489" width="503"></p>
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<p>In front of him are Barcelona's Raphinha (59 goal contributions), who placed fifth in this year’s Ballon d'Or voting, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (57 goal contributions), who claimed fourth place, and Bayern Munich's Harry Kane (55 goal contributions), who finished in 13th place. Prior to last season, Dembélé's highest single-season contributions were 30, achieved in the 2016/17 season while at Borussia Dortmund. His transformation last season was remarkable, as opponents struggled to contain him in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Dembélé is a deserving winner, but which other French players have captured this distinguished award over the years?</p>
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<p><img alt="" height="629" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/french-ballon-dor-winners-1758557762-178348.png?lm=1758557843" width="503"></p>
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<h2>Ousmane Dembélé joins the ranks of France's ball-and-award winners</h2>
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<p>As noted in the graphic above, Dembélé has become only the sixth Frenchman to claim the coveted Ballon d'Or. The previous recipient was Karim Benzema, who won the award in 2022 after leading Real Madrid to Champions League success. Before him, the legendary midfielder Zinédine Zidane won the award in 1998 while playing for Juventus, a year in which he also helped France secure the World Cup, netting two goals in the final against Brazil. Former striker Jean-Pierre Papin took the honor in 1991 while at Marseille, and the iconic Michel Platini won it three consecutive times during the 1980s while with Juventus. Raymond Kopa was the first French winner in 1958, representing Real Madrid.</p>
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