From Bandages & Bruises to Glory & Gold: The story behind Ousmane Dembélé’s road to his 2025 Ballon d’Or triumph

The Ballon d’Or: glitz, glamour, and prestige, an award bestowed upon the footballer who has boasted the most successful campaign in the season preceding the current one. An award that has borne the names of Ronaldo, Messi, Ronaldinho, and Modric now bears the name that many people, half a decade or even a year ago, would struggle to believe: Ousmane Dembélé

Back in 2019, when I first got onto social media and started following football more intently, there was a time when all the comment sections were filled with hate towards Dembélé. Mainly because of his poor performances, error-filled games, and most of all his injury-prone nature, which made him a liability for the teams he played for. The term “Dembulance” was a common sight across all media.

I wondered to myself, where did it all go wrong for the young, talented Frenchman? He made his breakthrough in France, playing for Rennes back in 2015 as an 18-year-old. Instantly heralded as a wonderkid, all the European football giants were fighting for his signature. It culminated with a move to Germany, where he played for Borussia Dortmund and continued to develop and shine. His struggles began after a €105 million move to Spain, playing for Barcelona, one of the biggest clubs in the world, constantly under the spotlight, subject to constant criticism. This also marked the advent of his injury struggles. Despite his brilliant speed, the injuries forced him to play less, which affected his confidence, which made him make more mistakes during his limited cameos.

He played a role in France’s World Cup win in 2018, but in contrast to this triumph, 4 years later, he fouled an opponent and gave away a penalty in the 2022 World Cup Final, ultimately costing France the win. An extremely demoralising moment for sure, and I would say the lowest point of his career. On the world’s biggest stage, with his entire country hopeful, it all ended in disappointment

Despite these huge setbacks and struggles, he made a move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), with his confidence intact, hoping to revive his career.

And that is exactly what he did.

In the 2024-2025 season, he had big boots to fill after the departure of Mbappe to Real Madrid. Not only did he do that, but he also led PSG to another French League title win, and his standout performances took place in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) tournament. His campaign had him scoring 8 goals and providing 5 assists. Many of the goals he scored were decisive match-winners against teams like Arsenal and Liverpool, who were favourites to win the competition themselves. He assisted 2 goals in the UCL final and led PSG to their first-ever UCL win.

His remarkable performances for both club and country made him the favourite for the prestigious award, and on 22 September 2025, he accepted the golden spherical trophy and joined a list of select few in the world who can call themselves Ballon d’Or winners

He was hailed as “the star that burnt too brightly & quickly” but ended up rising like a phoenix from the ashes. Whether you’re a sports fan or not, a football watcher or not, the inspiring underdog story of Ousmane Dembélé’s career defies all the odds and reaches the heights that so many wrote him off for. Potential: reached, dreams: fulfilled.

References:

1. www.transfermarkt.co.in

2. fcbarcelona.com

3. www.fotmob.com

4. www.nytimes.com