Serge Gnabry 'vindicated' by Ousmane Dembele's Ballon d'Or win years after Bayern Munich star labelled PSG hero 'much better' than Kylian Mbappe

The French international Dembele was crowned Ballon d’Or winner in Paris after a stunning season with PSG. The 28-year-old forward netted 35 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions, inspiring PSG to a historic treble that included their first-ever Champions League triumph. His achievement saw him edge out Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, underlining his rise from inconsistent talent to global superstar.

German winger Gnabry had long backed Dembele’s potential. In an Amazon documentary aired in 2021, Gnabry argued with team-mates Thomas Muller and Joshua Kimmich that Dembele was “much better” than compatriot Mbappe. At the time, Dembele was still at Barca, but his move to PSG and subsequent success has now added weight to Gnabry’s claim.

Asked in an interview with Sky Sport if he felt justified after Dembele’s award, Gnabry said: “A little bit vindicated, yes. Ousmane has incredible talent. His ability to play with both feet is something that no other player in the world has. I’m very happy for him.” 

Still, the Bayern star balanced his words, stressing that Mbappe remains “a brutal weapon and one of the best players in the world over the last few years.”

The comparison between Dembele and Mbappe has long divided opinion. Mbappe, widely regarded as one of the sport’s most consistent stars, had seemed the natural heir to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as a consistent Ballon d'Or challenger. However, he finished seventh in the voting after finishing his first season with Madrid as La Liga's top scorer. Dembele, meanwhile, battled injuries and inconsistency before his revival in Paris that saw him play an integral role in their clean sweep of trophies last term.

While Dembele celebrated in Paris, Gnabry has been enjoying a strong start to the Bundesliga season with three goals and three assists already registered. The Bavarians, unbeaten under coach Vincent Kompany, face Werder Bremen next in the league as they look to extend their record-breaking start. 

Gnabry’s form has put him on the way to a new contract at the German club despite their sporting director admitting that he was a candidate to be sold recently.