Dembélé Leads Ballon d'Or Field Ahead of Paris Ceremony

The Ballon dOr ceremony will unfold in Paris on Monday, Sept. 22, with Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembélé installed as the leading favourite after a season in which PSG captured a treble that culminated in the club's first Champions League title. The annual awards at the Théâtre du Châtelet also feature strong challenges from Barcelona's teenager Lamine Yamal and team-mate Raphinha, while a raft of nominees from other clubs, including Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappé and Cole Palmer, complete a 30-player shortlist.

Dembélé's case rests on his central role in PSG's breakthrough campaign. Season tallies vary by source, but he is widely credited with roughly 35 to 37 goals and about 16 assists in all competitions, and he produced decisive contributions in key Champions League matches. PSG sporting director Luis Campos told RMC Sport that if Dembélé is not awarded the Ballon d'Or, "the voters would clearly not be competent to vote for this prestigious trophy." Former Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets also publicly backed Dembélé, calling his season "great" and urging voters to recognise his consistency.

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, 17, is widely viewed as the leading...