Didier Deschamps States Ousmane Dembele Deserves Ballon D'Or Regardless Of Nations League Results

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Didier Deschamps has expressed that the upcoming Nations League matches should not influence the Ballon d'Or decision, asserting that Ousmane Dembele has already proven his worth for the accolade. Deschamps' French squad is set to compete against Spain in the Nations League semi-finals on Thursday. Many observers think this match could impact the Ballon d'Or race.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente mentioned that Lamine Yamal, Fabian Ruiz, and Pedri are all worthy contenders for the award. However, Deschamps believes Dembele's achievements with Paris Saint-Germain, including winning the Champions League, Ligue 1, and Coupe de France, should be sufficient for him to claim the prize.

Deschamps stated, "Obviously I'm with Ousmane! These things amuse the media; I don't have them in mind." He added that while competitions like the Nations League and Club World Cup can provide insights, Dembele's season merits recognition regardless of these outcomes. In 2024-25, Dembele netted 33 goals and assisted 13 times for PSG.

Among players in Europe's top five leagues, only Mohamed Salah (57), Raphinha (56), Harry Kane (49), and Kylian Mbappe (48) surpassed Dembele's 46 total goal contributions. In the Champions League alone, he contributed to 14 goals by scoring eight and assisting six. This achievement ranks second among French players in a single edition of the tournament, following Karim Benzema's 17 in 2021-22.

In PSG's final match against Inter, which ended in a 5-0 victory, Desire Doue stole the spotlight by becoming the first player to achieve three goal involvements in a Champions League final with two goals and one assist. Deschamps refrained from comparing Doue with Spain's Yamal, noting: "Yamal is at Barca and is younger than Desire. Desire finished the season very well and has left his mark in the Champions League."

Deschamps also addressed concerns about PSG attackers playing alongside Mbappe for France. He remarked that Mbappe has significantly improved throughout the season and is now in excellent form. "He is going to play and be very focused," Deschamps said, adding that they can interchange positions during attacks.

The anticipation surrounding these matches remains high as fans eagerly await to see how these players perform on such a significant stage. The outcome may not affect individual awards but will undoubtedly contribute to their legacies.