Did Dembele 'miss out' on the Ballon d'Or due to a long-term injury?

Forward Ousmane Dembele unexpectedly suffered an injury just before the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony, raising questions about whether this would affect the final outcome.

During the recent September FIFA Days, Ousmane Dembele injured his hamstring while helping the French national team defeat Ukraine in their first match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The star born in 1997 is expected to be sidelined for at least a month, meaning he won’t be able to compete with PSG in the near future. Notably, this injury occurred close to the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony (September 22), prompting doubts that Dembele might lose ground to his main rival Lamine Yamal in the race for this individual award.

However, this injury does not actually affect the voting results. According to the rules, the Ballon d'Or only considers achievements from August 1, 2024, to August 2, 2025. Therefore, all matches in the 2025/26 season are excluded from the competition.

Dembele just completed an outstanding season with PSG, playing a key role in helping the club achieve a historic treble, highlighted by his first-ever Champions League title. The 1997-born forward appeared in 53 matches, scored 37 goals, and provided 16 assists, becoming an indispensable part of the “Paris giants” lineup.

At the international level, Dembele is also a crucial choice for coach Didier Deschamps. The former Barcelona star helped Les Bleus reach the UEFA Nations League semifinals and finish third in the tournament.

Based on his performances, Dembele is currently emerging as the top contender for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, directly competing with the 18-year-old talent Lamine Yamal, who played a significant part in Barcelona’s domestic treble success.

The Ballon d'Or award ceremony will take place on September 22 (European time), where the winner of this prestigious title will be announced.

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