Yamal’s rise not enough - PSG chief insists Ballon d’Or must go to Ousmane Dembele

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos has firmly declared that the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner should be Ousmane Dembele.

Speaking to RMC Sport, Campos dismissed suggestions that Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal could make a surprise push for the award. While acknowledging the 18-year-old’s extraordinary rise in Spanish football, he stressed that the Ballon d’Or should be judged on achievements from a single season, not on future promise.

Yamal was central to Barcelona’s domestic treble triumph, lifting La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España. His creativity, maturity, and goal contributions have drawn comparisons with the game’s greats and cemented him as one of football’s brightest young stars.

Yet, Campos believes that resume pales in comparison to what Dembele produced.

“We’re looking at Yamal as a great player for the future. But this is about one season. What did he win? The Spanish league. Ousmane Dembele won everything,” Campos said.

Dembele played a pivotal role in PSG’s greatest ever season, firing 35 goals and providing 16 assists.

He collected individual awards as Best Player in both the Champions League and Ligue 1, and finished as Ligue 1’s top scorer.

The Frenchman’s explosive performances in a false-nine role were central to PSG claiming a first-ever Champions League crown, alongside their domestic double.

Campos insisted those numbers speak for themselves, “If he doesn’t win, then the people voting don’t have the competence to vote for the Ballon d’Or. His stats and his trophies are unmatched. For me, there’s no debate.”

PSG have nine nominees on the shortlist, with Achraf Hakimi and Vitinha among them after standout campaigns of their own.

Campos even argued that players like Bradley Barcola and William Pacho deserved recognition. But for him, Dembele’s case towers above the rest.

“Whether his name was Messi or Ronaldo, there would be no discussion. The best player this past season was Ousmane Dembele,” the sporting director insisted.

The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner will be revealed on September 22, with both Yamal and Dembele included among the contenders.

Interestingly, both are sidelined with injury and set to miss the first round of Champions League group games, though Barcelona and PSG will face off on October 1 in a blockbuster clash that could reignite the debate.