The Classique clash between French giants Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain has been called off and postponed due to heavy rainfall. The much-awaited Ligue 1 fixture, featuring top stars like Mason Greenwood and Ousmane Dembele, was supposed to be held at the Velodrome on Sunday evening, but it has now been postponed to a later date due to severe weather conditions.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaif has jetted into the French capital from America for the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony after originally planning to stay Stateside. His club's star forward Ousmane Dembele is the favourite to be crowned the best player in the world on Monday night in Paris but faces competition from Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal.
The Ballon d'Or. Love it or loathe it, it's the award every footballer in the world dreams of one day winning. And now, after a memorable 2024-25 campaign, the winner of the 2025 Golden Ball has been announced: Ousmane Dembele.
Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal was quick to congratulate Ousmane Dembele after seeing the Paris Saint-Germain star beat him to the 2025 Ballon d’Or award. The teenager finished second in the rankings but didn’t go home empty-handed as he won the Kopa Award for a second year running, and his father is confident that it will be a different story next year.
Lamine Yamal may have fallen short in the Ballon d’Or race against Ousmane Dembele, but Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists the setback will only fuel his hunger to claim the award in future. The teenager made history with back-to-back Kopa Trophies, while Aitana Bonmati continued her dominance by lifting a third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or.
Rennes went all out to honour Ousmane Dembele after his Ballon d'Or triumph, taking out a full-page advert in L'Equipe and running tributes across social media. The Paris Saint-Germain forward fired his side to a historic treble last season and became the club’s first Ballon d’Or winner, while his boyhood team proudly reminded the world of their role in shaping his journey.
Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or triumph has attracted many deliberations, with Serge Gnabry admitting he feels “a little bit vindicated” after previously declaring the Paris Saint-Germain star was “much better” than Kylian Mbappe. The Bayern Munich winger praised Dembele’s rare two-footed ability, while also acknowledging the Real Madrid forward's world-class pedigree.
Former France captain Olivier Giroud has explained the key behind Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or success after admitting he never imagined his former France teammate would one day win the award. The Paris Saint-Germain forward capped off a remarkable season with 35 goals and a Champions League win, becoming the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner on Monday night.
Vitinha expressed his happiness at achieving a third-placed finish in the Ballon d'Or rankings and extended his congratulations to Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Ousmane Dembele, who pipped Barcelona rival Lamine Yamal to lift the prestigious award. Vitinha was one of the best midfielders in the world last season and achieved tremendous success with both club and country.
Former Ballon d'Or winner Jean-Pierre Papin has offered words of advice to 2025 champion Ousmane Dembele, warning that the period after such recognition would be the most challenging. Papin congratulated the Paris Saint-Germain forward and insists he fully deserved the award, though he urged him to stay true to himself.
Another Frenchman could lift the Ballon d'Or by following the Ousmane Dembele blueprint. Indeed, according to Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus, Michael Olise has the potential to become the first Ballon d'Or winner from Die Roten after 45 years. The 23-year-old has been exceptional since arriving from Crystal Palace in 2024 and is reportedly set to be offered a new deal.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele was confirmed as the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner earlier this week and final voting figures revealed he finished more than 300 points clear of Barcelona's teenage superstar Lamine Yamal. The Frenchman's stellar campaign, which included a historic quadruple, made him only PSG's second ever recipient of the prestigious prize.
Ousmane Dembele revealed that Lionel Messi's 'direct message' after Ballon d'Or win 'really struck' him as the Frenchman claimed that his former Barcelona colleagues and coach congratulated him. Dembele beat Blaugrana sensation Lamine Yamal to win the Golden Ball earlier this week after starring for PSG in the 2024-25 campaign, where the French giants won the treble.
Ousmane Dembele's Ballon d'Or win was a surprise to his former coach Peter Bosz, who has revealed his battles with the star's lack of discipline during his time at Borussia Dortmund. The Paris Saint-Germain forward was described as "disorganised" and "often late," but the Dutch coach feels he has undergone a transformation since joining the French side.
Ousmane Dembele has asked Paris Saint-Germain for a new contract and a pay rise worthy of his new status as a Ballon d’Or winner. The French winger, currently earning €18 million per year and tied to the club until 2028, wants a salary that reflects his global standing, but PSG are unwilling to return to the extravagant wage structure of the Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi era.
Paris Saint-Germain are now receiving good news on the injury front ahead of their Ligue 1 clash with Strasbourg. Ousmane Dembele has resumed team training following his hamstring injury, while Desire Doue has recovered from his calf issue. Key players returning could ease PSG’s early-season injury crisis and boost Luis Enrique’s squad as they aim to maintain their top-four Ligue 1 position.
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