'I hope he wins it' - Kylian Mbappe aims cheeky dig at Lamine Yamal as Real Madrid star backs ex-PSG team-mate Ousmane Dembele to beat Barcelona teen to Ballon d'Or

Real Madrid forward Mbappe has officially endorsed his France team-mate Dembele for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Speaking to French broadcaster Telefoot, Mbappe unequivocally stated that the PSG forward deserves to win football's most coveted individual prize and dismissed the chances of rival contender Lamine Yamal with a tongue-in-cheek comment.

Mbappe's high-profile backing adds significant weight to Dembele's candidacy ahead of the award ceremony on September 22. The PSG star is considered a frontrunner after a phenomenal 2024-25 season in which he led his club to a first ever Champions League success as well as the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France titles. His main competition is widely seen to be Barcelona's Yamal, making Mbappe's comments a clear statement of support for his compatriot in a tight race. 

Dembele registered 35 goals and 16 assists in all competitions for PSG last season. He is one of nine players from the Champions League-winning side to be included in the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or.

Speaking on whether Dembele deserves the award, Mbappe said: "Does he deserve it? For me, yes. I hope he wins it. I supported him from the start. I also hope that Achraf [Hakimi] will be well ranked, it would be good for the defenders, he had a historic season." 

When asked about Yamal, Mbappe joked: "Well, no, he’s a Barcelona player. But he’s a very good player."

All eyes will be on the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris for the Ballon d'Or ceremony on September 22. In the immediate future, Mbappe is preparing for France's World Cup qualifier against Iceland on Tuesday. Dembele, however, will play no part after sustaining a hamstring injury in the win over Ukraine on Friday. The injury could reportedly sideline the PSG star for several weeks, meaning his focus will be on recovery rather than international duty.