Ousmane Dembele has won his first Ballon d’Or, marking a career milestone after an outstanding season with Paris St-Germain.
The French forward, 28, received the award at a ceremony in Paris, where he was joined on stage by his mother and honoured by football legend Ronaldinho.
Dembele’s 2023/24 campaign was one of the most successful in PSG’s history. He scored 35 goals and registered 14 assists in 53 matches as the club secured a treble, lifting the Champions League, Ligue 1 title, and French Cup.
His performances also earned him the Ligue 1 and Champions League Player of the Year awards, while he finished joint top scorer in the French top flight with 21 goals.
The forward also helped PSG reach the Club World Cup final, where they were beaten by Chelsea in New Jersey.
Despite missing PSG’s 1-0 defeat to Marseille due to injury, Dembele was able to attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where he fought back tears as he reflected on his journey.
“What I have just experienced is exceptional, I have no words for it,” Dembele said.
“To have this trophy presented to me by Ronaldinho is special. I want to thank PSG, the president Nasser [Al-Khelaifi], the staff, the coach, and all my team-mates. We have practically won everything together. This trophy is ours collectively.”
