France and Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé was named the FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year on Tuesday, capping a remarkable 12 months that included a Ballon d’Or victory and a historic UEFA Champions League triumph with his club.
The 28-year-old received the honor in Doha, Qatar, after a standout season in which he recorded 51 goal contributions (35 goals, 16 assists) in 53 appearances. His pivotal role propelled PSG to a quadruple, securing the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, the Champions League, and the Trophée des Champions.
Dembélé edged out formidable competition for the FIFA award, beating Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé in the final voting. The award considers performances from August 2024 to August 2025 and is decided by a panel of national team coaches, captains, journalists, and fans.
After a slow start to the 2024-25 campaign, Dembélé’s season ignited following a tactical shift to a central forward role under manager Luis Enrique. He delivered crucial goals in the Champions League knockout stages against Liverpool and Arsenal, finishing with eight in the competition.
On the international stage, Dembélé helped France secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Les Bleus will face Senegal, Norway, and a playoff winner in the group stage.
Dembélé now joins an illustrious list of winners, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, since the award’s inception in 2016. He was present at the ceremony ahead of PSG’s Intercontinental Cup final against Flamengo on Wednesday.
By James Kisoo
