Ousmane Dembélé refuses to back himself for the Ballon d’Or

The reigning Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembélé, refuses to put himself among the favourites to win the award again. The PSG star believes another Parisian could lift the prestigious trophy.

Dembélé backs a PSG player

Asked about the potential winner, Ousmane Dembélé admitted that the race remains difficult to predict, while still backing a player from Paris Saint-Germain. “I think the trophy will be in the hands of a PSG player,” the French forward said.

Despite being the defending champion, Dembélé preferred to highlight his teammates rather than put himself forward as the leading candidate.

Kvaratskhelia, Kane and Mbappé in his top three

Dembélé was then asked to name three players he considers favourites for the award. He chose Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé, without ranking them. The Frenchman particularly praised Kane for his excellent season. As for his own chances, Dembélé was clear: “I could never vote for myself.”

The winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or will be announced in October, with several stars already emerging as serious contenders.

Aliou Toundé |

Editorfr

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Paris Saint-Germain

Ligue 1 France