Ousmane Dembélé has reached the summit of world soccer, becoming the winner of the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or award, but he was keen to pay tribute to Barcelona for helping him on his journey.
The Frenchman had a dream 2024–25 season for Paris Saint-Germain. He became the biggest difference-maker in a side that went on to once again dominate French soccer and also tied the bow on the season by winning the club’s first ever UEFA Champions League trophy.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal came in second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting. Many believed the teenager’s dazzling performances en route to winning a domestic treble would be enough to make him the youngest Ballon d’Or winner in history. The upset wasn’t to be, instead, the winner is a former Barcelona player.
Before joining PSG in 2023, Dembélé played six seasons with the Catalan giants. Inconsistency and a laundry list of injuries defined Dembélé’s time in Spain. Nevertheless, the newest Ballon d’Or winner didn’t forget about his spell with the Blaugranas during his acceptance speech.
“Thank you to all the clubs I’ve played for,“ an emotional Dembélé said as he took the stage at the Théâtre du Châtelet. “Stade Rennes, Borussia Dortmund and the club I always dreamed of playing for, Barcelona.”
“I learned so much there, playing alongside players like Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta. It was a great learning experience. I am so happy.”
Dembélé would later give praise to Yamal during the press conference following his Ballon d’Or win.
“We’ve seen Lamine Yamal play all season, he’s an extraordinary player with a lot of maturity,“ Dembélé said. “I also think that if the planets align, he’s going to win a lot of trophies like the Ballon d’Or.“
Dembélé played 186 matches during his time at Barcelona after joining from Borussia Dortmund in the aftermath of Neymar’s departure to PSG in the summer of 2017. Despite playing six seasons for the club, he scored 40 goals in his Barça career, just five more than he scored in all competitions during his Ballon d’Or winning 2024–25 season.
Many believed Dembélé would never reach his full potential after his shaky spell with Barcelona. However, under Luis Enrique at PSG, the now 28-year-old player has proved his doubters wrong. His Ballon d’Or win is simply the cherry on top.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘The Club I Always Dreamed Of’—Ousmane Dembele Remembers Barcelona, Lionel Messi in Ballon d’Or Speech.