PSG missed the mark. After brilliantly passing almost every test, the European champions , who fell to Botafogo in the group stage, fell to the final exam against Chelsea last night at the FIFA Club World Cup. The Parc des Princes residents were beaten 3-0 by Enzo Maresca's Blues. As if that weren't enough, Luis Enrique is at the center of a controversy after slapping João Pedro. With all this, we could almost forget that Ousmane Dembélé was playing for so much on Sunday night. The favorite for the Ballon d'Or, the Frenchman completely missed the mark, despite having been very good a few days earlier against Real Madrid in the semi-final.
A missed crucial meeting
The FM editorial team also gave him a score of 3, stating that he was "disgusted by the heroic Sanchez" , who had a complicated evening. This is also the opinion of our colleagues at Le Parisien . For its part, L'Equipe was more severe, giving him a 2. "Hero of the semi-final, the striker missed his chance. In a match like this where he is deprived of the ball, he should undoubtedly show more in the construction. Rarely found in good conditions, the ex-Barcelona player has - with the exception of a good service for Doué (18th) - never had any influence on the Parisian game. Worse, he was the author of the loss of the ball on the second goal conceded. He lost his duel against Sanchez (52nd)" , we can read on the sports daily.
In England, Goal gave him a 4 and specified: "He didn't play at the expected level today (yesterday, editor's note), for a Ballon d'Or favorite." Still across the Channel, The Sun relaunches the race for the supreme individual title after the Blues' victory. "Cole Palmer puts himself in the race for the Ballon d'Or by destroying Paris-Saint-Germain (...) The player undoubtedly has what it takes to be among the best players in the world. He could even be an outsider for the Ballon d'Or." Winner of the Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup, the Englishman has his say. In Spain, it is also believed that this lost final will leave its mark on the race for the Ballon d'Or. This is the opinion of Mundo Deportivo .
Lamine Yamal is still in the race
"Who will win the 2025 Ballon d'Or? The betting seems to be focused on just two names, Dembélé and Lamine Yamal, although other candidates are in the running, including Raphinha. PSG's defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final in the United States helps balance the scales that the Frenchman had tipped in his favor. Dembélé seemed to have taken a giant step towards his crown in the semi-final against Real Madrid. While he didn't play much in the round of 16 and quarter-finals, he showed the same strength of character against Real Madrid as he did in the Champions League final. The final should have served as a definitive guarantee for him. It wasn't. He was barely visible."
MD continues: "The French striker, a former Barça player, has still not won a title and now presents his titles to the jury that will award him the prize on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris (...) Lamine Yamal could be a tough opponent for the Ballon d'Or. Trained at Barça, he won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup with the club. Eliminated in the semi-finals of the Champions League, he also came close to winning the Nations League with Spain after a defeat against Portugal in the final. Dembélé considers the European Cup as his ultimate title, but Lamine Yamal's magic at his young age and all the early records he broke at club and national team give him a good chance. Like Raphinha, with more goals, the same titles, but without that differential game."
The Dembouz case raises questions
Like Mundo Deportivo , Jose Alvarez Haya, a journalist who follows FC Barcelona for El Chiringuito , has argued in favor of the Culés. "The Ballon d'Or will be decided between Lamine, Pedri and Raphinha. Dembélé has lost his mind after his poor performances in the Nations League and the Club World Cup. The championship and the Coupe de France are gifts every year. He missed the opportunity to win them. It has to be for a Barça player." In Catalonia and Spain, people are therefore campaigning for Lamine Yamal. This, even if some media have mentioned the name of Fabian Ruiz. The midfielder, like Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha or other Parisians, can claim it. This possible division of votes at the club, but also in France where some have mentioned the name of Kylian Mbappé, may not suit Ousmane Dembélé.
A player who, for some of his detractors, has only been at his best for a few months, unlike Hakimi, who has been more consistent over a longer period. After his final last night, some believe that he perhaps does not deserve to be crowned. This is the case for Jérôme Rothen, who spoke on the DAZN set . "In the end, does a Ballon d'Or winner miss such important matches, finals like Dembele's today? For me, no." This debate is likely to continue to animate the debates between now and the announcement of the lucky winner, or even after. No one has really stood out from the crowd and all possibilities remain open. Dembouz, who is not in the Club World Cup team of the year, will have the opportunity to add a new title to his list of achievements with the European Super Cup against Tottenham. A match that will count in the race for the Ballon d'Or for its supporters and its detractors alike...
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