Ballon d’Or 2025: Ousmane Dembele’s Chances Suffer Major Blow

• Ousmane Dembele has been ruled out of the Club World Cup group stage due to a quadriceps injury
• Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal is now seen as a top contender for the Ballon d’Or 2025 after Dembele’s latest injury setback
• PSG will not sign a temporary replacement, reducing Dembele’s chances of shining

Just as Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or 2025 push was gaining momentum, an untimely injury seems to have ruined what looked like a golden opportunity for the Frenchman.

The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) winger has suffered a quadriceps strain while on international duty with France, a setback that will keep him out of action for at least two weeks.

This means Dembele will miss the entire Club World Cup group stage, a crucial stretch where he was expected to stake his claim for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, Sports Max reports.

Fresh from a Champions League-winning campaign and recently crowned Player of the Season, Dembele was one of the front-runners for the Ballon d’Or.

The Frenchman’s form had been inspiring for club country this season, and the Club World Cup was considered a key tournament to further extend the gap against closest challengers Lamine Yamal and Raphina. Unfortunately, injury had other plans.

Dembele’s injury favours Spain’s Yamal

While Dembele will be out for at least two weeks, Barcelona and Spain wonderkid Lamine Yamal is making the most of every opportunity.

The teenager is currently setting the Nations League ablaze with dazzling performances for Spain, rapidly elevating his status as the frontrunner for the Ballon d’Or award.

With every game, Yamal inches closer to Ballon d’Or contention, capitalising on Dembele’s absence.

According to Le Parisien, Dembele is set to miss all three group matches against Atletico Madrid (June 15), Botafogo (June 20), and Seattle Sounders (June 23), as the timing could not be worse for the Frenchman.

Even if the PSG star recovers in time for the knockout stages, questions remain about his match fitness and ability to perform reasonably well to overtake Yamal as favourite for the award.

PSG and Dembele under pressure

PSG have no immediate plans to sign a replacement for Dembele, placing additional strain on their attacking options during the Club World Cup.

For the player, the absence means reduced visibility at a time when every goal, assist, and standout performance could make a difference in the Ballon d’Or voting.

Meanwhile, Yamal’s star continues to rise. With both club and country relying heavily on his maturity beyond his years, he has the perfect stage to sway voters in his favour.

If Yamal wins the Nations League final against Portugal, the 17-year-old will automatically be seen as the top contender for the Ballon d’Or.

Kylian Mbappe picks his Ballon d’Or winner

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that France national team captain Mbappe has sided with his compatriot Dembele to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or ahead of his La Liga rival Yamal.

The Real Madrid forward, speaking ahead of the UEFA Nations League third-place match between Spain and Germany, confirmed he would pick the PSG star to win.

“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!”

Source: Legit.ng