Latest news with #Ousmane Dembele
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Achraf Hakimi: "I deserve the Ballon d'Or 2025"
While many expect a showdown between Ousmane Dembélé and Lamine Yamal for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, Achraf Hakimi is also dreaming of clinching this prestigious award. At least that's what the Moroccan full-back stated in an interview with Canal+. Named among the nominees alongside eight of his teammates, Achraf Hakimi is convinced he deserves the 2025 Ballon d'Or. "When people put me in the Ballon d'Or debate, it's a dream I never dared to imagine. If I have the chance to win it, I think I deserve it too. After the historic season I've had—there aren't many players who have scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final—especially as a defender. People often think I'm a forward or midfielder, but no, I play in a back four and my job is to defend. The stats I've put up this year, they're not those of a typical defender. I believe that when a defender achieves that, he deserves it even more than an attacker." Hakimi explained in his interview with Canal+.
National Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
Ousmane Dembele and Chloe Kelly nominated for men's and women's Ballon d'Or awards
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele and England forward Chloe Kelly are among the contenders to win the men's and women's Ballon d'Or award. Article content The 30 men's and 30 women's nominees were revealed Thursday by France Football magazine, with the winners to be announced at a ceremony in Paris on Sept. 22. Article content Article content The 28-year-old Dembele was inspirational in leading PSG to its first Champions League title after years of falling short and helped the French club complete a treble. He scored a career-high 35 goals overall for PSG last season. Article content Teenage star Lamine Yamal, whose mesmerizing performances lit up the Champions League and helped Barcelona win the Spanish league title, is among the other men's nominees. Article content Kelly starred for England at Euros Article content When England won the women's European Championship last month, the 27-year-old Kelly blasted home the decisive penalty in the final against World Cup winner Spain. She also played a key role earlier in the tense knockout stages. Article content Last season, Kelly played on the right flank as Arsenal won the women's Champions League with another against-the-odds win over powerhouse Barcelona. Article content She faces competition from defender Lucy Bronze and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton — her England teammates who both play for Chelsea — and from Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati, the winner of the past two awards. Article content Barcelona players have won the past four women's awards. Bronze was runner-up in 2019 to U.S. forward Megan Rapinoe. Article content PSG players in the spotlight Article content Dembele was one of nine PSG players nominated for the men's award, including goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, forward Desire Doue, who scored twice in the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the Champions League final, and inspirational winger Khvitcha Kvaratskhelia, who joined from Napoli in the January transfer window. Article content The other men's nominees include Egypt striker Mo Salah, whose 29 league goals helped Liverpool win the Premier League, and prolific Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe, who netted 44 times for Madrid last season. Article content Midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d'Or last year after impressing with Manchester City and Spain but missed most of last season with a knee injury. Article content Real Madrid snubbed the star-studded ceremony last year in apparent protest because its forward Vinicius Junior finished in second place. After staying away, Madrid and its players then vented their feelings on social media. Article content The voting system Article content The Ballon d'Or was created by France Football magazine and has been awarded since 1956 for men, and since 2018 for women. It is voted for by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings for the men's award and the top 50 FIFA-ranked countries for the women's award. Article content Each journalist, one per country, selects players in ranked order with points attributed to each position. The winner is the player who receives the most points. Article content
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Who should win the men's Ballon d'Or: Mohamed Salah, Ousmane Dembele, Lamine Yamal?
The 30-man nominee list for the men's Ballon d'Or has been released. And, as ever, it is stacked with talent. Long gone are the days when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo used to dominate this award — neither of them features, in case you were wondering — and you could make a strong argument for any of the players listed. So, who should be named the Ballon d'Or at the ceremony in Paris on September 22? Here, our writers put forward their case for the players who they think deserve it. Have your say in the comments below. If you had told anyone at Barcelona that Ousmane Dembele would score 35 goals last season and lead Paris Saint-Germain to their first Champions League title, you would have received some questioning looks. Dembele was sometimes electric after joining Barca for a joint-club record €135million in 2017, but all too infrequently. He struggled with injuries and never reached 15 goals in a season, before his messy €50m exit to PSG two years ago. Advertisement Even in his first season, he scored just six times as Kylian Mbappe (understandably) took the limelight. But once he left, Dembele was a man transformed. He showed speed, trickery and a newfound ruthlessness in front of goal, also playing a key role in Luis Enrique's collective approach — as shown by this clip from the Champions League final. Ousmane Dembélé revient sur son pressing fou sur Sommer lors de la finale de la Ligue des Champions ! 🔥 — Onze Mondial (@OnzeMondial) July 5, 2025 He was serenaded with chants of 'Ousmane, Ballon d'Or' when PSG paraded the trophy at the Parc des Princes, the most cherished part of a treble. Nobody enjoyed a season quite like him — and for that reason, he deserves this award. Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero Being overlooked when it came to the Ballon d'Or used to drive Mohamed Salah to distraction. When you consider how he's rewritten the Anfield record books, it's crazy that fifth place (in both 2019 and 2022) is the highest he's ever finished. The Liverpool forward has become more philosophical over the years, but during an interview with Gary Neville for Sky Sports in May, he conceded: 'I'd love to win it one day, I won't lie.' If it's going to happen, then surely this is his year. The Egyptian's contribution to Liverpool's Premier League title triumph in 2024-25 was immense. He collected both the Premier League Golden Boot and Playmaker awards in recognition of his stunning return of 29 league goals and 18 assists. Not content with breaking the record for most goal involvements in a 38-game Premier League season, Salah also equalled the record of 47, jointly set by Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole over a 42-match campaign. 'Ridiculous numbers,' was the assessment of his captain Virgil van Dijk. 'If he wins the Ballon d'Or, then I think no one could argue.' Advertisement It's about time that Salah got the wider appreciation his brilliance deserves. James Pearce I already know what readers will say before I even begin my argument: Lamine Yamal is 18 years old. Too young, perhaps. Maybe they're right. He hasn't won the Champions League either, so there's another point in their favour. But few would dispute that he is the most talented player in the world right now. You don't have to travel to many countries to see that shirts with his old No 19 and now 10 have flooded the streets of every city this holiday season. 'Yamal-mania' is a reality. His age undoubtedly attracts attention, but he has held his own against plenty of older players. How many youngsters his age have been on the front pages of newspapers in the run-up to a Champions League semi-final second leg? To then perform as he did against Inter was nothing short of remarkable. He unbalanced the Italians' defence, produced several moments of magic and often did the unthinkable — all with a smile and a flash of his braces. Lionel Messi, the player Yamal is often compared to by fans, didn't need to win a World Cup to be named best in the world in 2010. And I don't think Yamal needs the Champions League to already be considered the best in the world in 2025. Laia Cervello Herrero Ah, football: one day you're 20 and getting booed for passing backwards as your team beats Liverpool, the next they're building shrines to you in Naples. Well, OK, not quite the next day. There were, admittedly, seven years between that moment at Old Trafford, which once prompted Jose Mourinho to criticise a small section of Manchester United fans unhappy with Scott McTominay's ball retention, and the midfielder's astonishing title-winning season with Napoli. But his transformation from a United squad player sold last summer to someone reaching near-Diego Maradona status in Italy is now gilded with another eye-popping development: a nomination for the Ballon d'Or. In fairytale terms, there can't be a more deserving winner. The brave move away from everything he knew, the rapid adaptation to a different league, and then the 12 goals, six assists and so many artful appearances as Napoli clinched the Scudetto. He loves his new home (especially the tomatoes) and it loves him back. After goals at the San Siro, at the Stadio Olimpico, against Juventus, it's common to see Scottish flags at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium. Other nominees perhaps achieved greater things at mega-rich, juggernaut clubs, but McTominay's year at Napoli was a classic reminder of football's redemptive capacity for the gloriously unexpected. Greg O'Keeffe I'm here to hand-deliver Vitinha a fresh bouquet of flowers to make sure he doesn't miss out. Advertisement For me, the best player in the world is someone you want to watch over and over again. Vitinha, with poise and guile, definitely falls into that category. The silky midfielder makes the game look magical and fun — exactly how it should. I know this award usually comes down to what a player has won, and Vitinha did win the treble with Paris Saint-Germain and was integral to their first-ever Champions League win. He also won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal, if we are counting that. But maybe we should stop that kind of count. Let's give it to a player who, wearing his Nike hairband, flows up the pitch with such ease and pomp. He would be a deserving winner. Caoimhe O'Neill A left-back has never won the Ballon d'Or. But what more could Nuno Mendes have done? The 23-year-old played 53 times and scored five goals in PSG's (nearly) all-conquering season as they took Ligue 1 and the Champions League in an illustrious quadruple, while Portugal won the Nations League too. His outstanding dynamism and tactical awareness make him by far the best in his position in the world. Having Mendes is like having two players on the pitch at once. He will probably not win the Ballon d'Or, but there can be no fierce arguments if he does. Max Mathews Individual accolades should not be about raw statistics, but about trophies, moments, and emotions. Maybe that's not always fair, but when we're old, grey, and still moaning about VAR, it's those that are remembered. So that's where we get to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, a footballer who makes people feel. He is part of a Paris Saint-Germain super-team, that's for sure, replete with the technical expertise of Joao Neves and Vitinha, fired by the goals and dynamism of Dembele. But Kvaratskhelia is so much of what makes this team different — it does not feel like a leap to call him the most terrifying dribbler in the world, each stride laden with end product. His wonder goal against Aston Villa, tormenting the poor Axel Disasi, was arguably the iconic moment of their Champions League victory. Trophies and goals? He has them too — picking up winners' medals for both Serie A and Ligue 1 and scoring in PSG's 5-0 Champions League final victory. Kvaratskhelia is no longer Kvaradona; he is his own player, and he is very special indeed. Jacob Whitehead I didn't think I'd be writing this at the start of the season, but Raphinha would be a worthy Ballon d'Or winner. Only Salah racked up more than the Brazilian's 56 combined goals and assists across all competitions last season, and there were some crucial ones too: five goals against Real Madrid, a last-gasp winner at Benfica, and a hat-trick against Bayern Munich all spring to mind. Advertisement No player in Europe's top five leagues made more runs in behind the defensive line, according to SkillCorner, pointing to his intensity without the ball. Relentless in his ability to repeat such bursts throughout the season, he constantly stretched defences and created space for team-mates such as Robert Lewandowski to flourish closer to goal. Barcelona would not have won La Liga without him, nor the Spanish Cup. And in a parallel universe, had they not fallen on the wrong side of a madcap, 7-6 aggregate defeat to Inter in the Champions League semi-final, he may have helped them to lift a European title too. Some turnaround for a player who, this time last year, looked certain to be out the door. Thom Harris How much do you really need to argue the case for the man who settled the biggest football match of 2025? That is what the Club World Cup final is — at least conceptually — and certainly in the mind of FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Desire Doue may have something else to say as the hero of PSG's brilliant Champions League final rout of Inter in May, but Luis Enrique's team were every bit as humbled by Cole Palmer and Chelsea in New Jersey last month. Palmer has a habit of producing his best when it matters most. He followed up his spectacular equaliser for England in the Euro 2024 final last year with two assists to turn the UEFA Conference League final against Real Betis on its head, then two goals and an assist to blow away PSG in the first half of the Club World Cup final in New Jersey. If there is a case against Palmer winning the Ballon d'Or this year, it lies in a run of one goal and three assists in 22 matches for Chelsea from mid-January to the end of the Premier League season. He has spent much of this year in a strange funk, but he relishes pressure and the big stage. A player of his quality and pedigree should always be in the conversation. Liam Twomey (Top photos: Salah and Yamal; Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Sport
- Al Jazeera
Nine PSG players dominate Ballon d'Or 2025 nominee list
Nine players from treble-winning Paris Saint-Germain have been nominated for the men's Ballon d'Or this year, along with the club's coach Luis Enrique, as France Football announced its list of nominees. Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha are all on the list of 30 players nominated on Thursday for the big prize. Dembele scored 35 goals and claimed 16 assists in all competitions as PSG won the Ligue 1 title, French Cup and Champions League and were Club World Cup runners-up to Chelsea. Other nominees include Barcelona's Raphinha (34 goals, 25 assists), Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (34 goals, 23 assists), who was named Premier League Player of the Season, and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (34 goals, five assists). Scott McTominay, who won Serie A's Most Valuable Player after guiding Napoli to the title, was also nominated as the first Scotsman in 38 years to make the shortlist. Barca's Lamine Yamal (18 goals, 25 assists) made the cut while the 18-year-old winger was also nominated for the Kopa Trophy for best Under-21 player, an award he won last year. Five England players were nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or after their Euros triumph, including goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson. Marta, who came out of retirement to lead Brazil to the women's Copa America title at the age of 39, was also nominated. Along with Luis Enrique, Enzo Maresca, who guided Chelsea to the Club World Cup title, and Liverpool's Arne Slot, who won the Premier League crown in his first season at the club, were nominated for the men's Coach of the Year award. Spanish midfielders Rodri and Aitana Bonmati are the current holders of the men's and women's Ballon d'Or awards, respectively. The former spent most of last season injured with Manchester City, while Bonmati was a defeated finalist at Euro 2025 as England overcame Spain. The women's coach nominees are led by Sonia Bompastor, who won a domestic treble at Chelsea, Renee Slegers, who took Arsenal to their second Champions League crown, and Sarina Wiegman, after she helped England retain their Euros title. Ballon d'Or nominations in full Men: Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Desire Doue, Denzel Dumfries, Serhou Guirassy, Viktor Gyokeres, Erling Haaland, Achraf Hakimi, Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Robert Lewandowski, Alexis Mac Allister, Lautaro Martinez, Kylian Mbappe, Scott McTominay, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Michael Olise, Cole Palmer, Pedri, Raphinha, Declan Rice, Fabian Ruiz, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Vinicius Jr, Vitinha, Florian Wirtz, Lamine Yamal Women: Sandy Baltimore, Barbra Banda, Aitana Bonmati, Lucy Bronze, Klara Buehl, Mariona Caldentey, Sofia Cantore, Steph Catley, Temwa Chawinga, Melchie Dumornay, Emily Fox, Cristiana Girelli, Esther Gonzalez, Caroline Graham Hansen, Hannah Hampton, Pernille Harder, Patri Guijarro, Amanda Gutierres, Lindsey Heaps, Chloe Kelly, Frida Leonhardsen-Maanum, Marta, Clara Mateo, Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina, Alexia Putellas, Alessia Russo, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Caroline Weir, Leah Williamson Men's coach of the year: Antonio Conte, Luis Enrique, Hansi Flick, Enzo Maresca, Arne Slot Women's coach of the year: Sonia Bompastor, Arthur Elias, Justine Madugu, Renee Slegers, Sarina Wiegman Men's club of the year: Barcelona, Botafogo, Chelsea, Liverpool, Paris St Germain Women's club of the year: Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea, OL Lyonnes, Orlando Pride Yashin trophy men: Alisson Becker, Yassine Bounou, Lucas Chevalier, Thibaut Courtois, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Emi Martinez, Jan Oblak, David Raya, Matz Sels, Yann Sommer Yashin trophy women: Ann-Katrin Berger, Cata Coll, Hannah Hampton, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Daphne van Domselaar Men's Kopa Trophy: Ayyoub Bouaddi, Pau Cubarsi, Desire Doue, Estevao, Dean Huijsen, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Rodrigo Mora, Joao Neves, Lamine Yamal, Kenan Yildiz Women's Kopa Trophy: Michelle Agyemang, Linda Caicedo, Wieke Kaptein, Vicky Lopez, Claudia Martinez Ovando
The National
3 days ago
- Sport
- The National
PSG dominate Ballon d'Or shortlist after treble-winning season
Paris Saint-Germain were duly recognised for their stellar season as nine players from treble-winning club were nominated for the men's Ballon d'Or this year along with the club's manager Luis Enrique. Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha were all on the list of 30 players nominated for the big prize. Dembele scored 35 goals and had 16 assists in all competitions as PSG won the Ligue 1 title, French Cup and the Uefa Champions League. They fell short in the Club World Cup campaign as they finished runners-up to Chelsea. Other nominees include Barcelona's Raphinha (34 goals, 25 assists), Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (34 goals, 23 assists), who was named Premier League Player of the Season, and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (34 goals, five assists). Scott McTominay, Serie A's star after guiding Napoli to the title, was also nominated as the first Scotsman in 38 years to make the shortlist. Barcelona's teen sensation Lamine Yamal (18 goals, 25 assists) made the cut while the 18-year-old winger was also nominated for the Kopa Trophy for best Under-21 player, an award he won last year. Five England players were nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or after their Euros triumph, including goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly and Leah Williamson. Marta, who came out of retirement to lead Brazil to the women's Copa America title at the age of 39, was also nominated. Along with Luis Enrique, Enzo Maresca, who guided Chelsea to the Club World Cup title, and Liverpool's Arne Slot, who won the Premier League crown in his first season at the club, were shortlisted for the men's Coach of the Year award. The women's coach nominees are led by Sonia Bompastor, who won a domestic treble at Chelsea, Renee Slegers, who took Arsenal to their second Champions League crown, and Sarina Wiegman after she helped England retain their Euros title. Ballon d'Or nominations Men: Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Desire Doue, Denzel Dumfries, Serhou Guirassy, Viktor Gyokeres, Erling Haaland, Achraf Hakimi, Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Robert Lewandowski, Alexis Mac Allister, Lautaro Martinez, Kylian Mbappe, Scott McTominay, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Michael Olise, Cole Palmer, Pedri, Raphinha, Declan Rice, Fabian Ruiz, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Vinicius Jr, Vitinha, Florian Wirtz, Lamine Yamal Women: Sandy Baltimore, Barbra Banda, Aitana Bonmati, Lucy Bronze, Klara Buehl, Mariona Caldentey, Sofia Cantore, Steph Catley, Temwa Chawinga, Melchie Dumornay, Emily Fox, Cristiana Girelli, Esther Gonzalez, Caroline Graham Hansen, Hannah Hampton, Pernille Harder, Patri Guijarro, Amanda Gutierres, Lindsey Heaps, Chloe Kelly, Frida Leonhardsen-Maanum, Marta, Clara Mateo, Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina, Alexia Putellas, Alessia Russo, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Caroline Weir, Leah Williamson
