‘I’ve never been the chosen one’, claims Dembele

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Ousmane Dembele claimed he has “never been the chosen one”, putting his success down to hard work as he targets a second straight Ballon d’Or.

Dembele scooped the prize last year after a stellar 2024-25 campaign in which he contributed to 46 goals across all competitions.

He scored 33 times and provided 13 assists as Paris Saint-Germain won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Champions League. 

Of those goal involvements, 33 (25 goals, eight assists) came in the second half of the season. 

Dembele is up for the top prize once again in 2026, having again helped PSG to the Ligue 1 and Champions League titles, while he also helped France to the World Cup semi-finals.

He is up against some big names for the trophy, with the likes of Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe both claiming they deserve to win the Ballon d’Or, with the latter drawing comparison between him and Dembele.

He was quoted as telling France Football: “Dembele? He was always seen as a talented player. I, on the other hand, was always seen as the chosen one.”

And Dembele made it clear he does not see himself as a natural superstar, taking a more relaxed approach to the upcoming award.

“I’ve always been at the back of the class, working hard,” he told Ligue1+.

“Throughout my career, I haven’t said a word; I’ve worked incredibly hard. As I said, I’ve never been the chosen one, but I worked hard, and last year I was rewarded with a fantastic year with Paris Saint-Germain.

“And this year, we’ll see how it goes; no pressure, just taking it easy.”

OUR 2026 MEN’S BALLON D’OR NOMINEES! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/GQFsH5u5lO

— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026

Dembele’s PSG team-mate Fabian Ruiz is also on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or after he also helped Spain win the World Cup.

He is the only player that managed to lift both the Champions League and World Cup last term, making him an outside bet for the award.

“My position on the Ballon d’Or is up to the voters to decide,” Fabian said.

“The most important thing for me is to make myself available to the team, while at the same time trying to be part of the best. I was lucky enough to be among the 30 nominees last year (24th) and I hope to finish as high as possible this year.

“Being in your 30s is a privilege. That they vote for those who, in their opinion, deserve it most. I’m already very grateful and proud to be nominated.”

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