"The Golden Ball journey of the 'internet-addicted youth'! Dembélé's Ballon d'Or is half owed to Enrique.

Written by Han Bing Vincent Garcia, editor-in-chief of France Football, acknowledged that this was among the most straightforward Ballon d'Or decisions since its inception in 1956. Dembélé earned overwhelming backing from the panel worldwide. "Vitinha and Achraf each got a few top votes, but since they are PSG players, Dembélé’s triumph is indisputable."

Before this, Dembélé had never been shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or; winning it on his first nomination is both shocking and unsurprising. After all, during the 2024/25 Ballon d'Or evaluation period, the French winger was one of the most outstanding players statistically (35 goals and 14 assists) and secured a historic quadruple with his French club, even reaching the Club World Cup final—almost clinching a fifth title. His individual stats and team achievements clearly outshine other contenders.

However, less than a year ago, the newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner was excluded from the squad for a Champions League away match against Arsenal by coach Enrique due to habitual tardiness, left alone in Paris. At that time, Enrique’s patience with Dembélé’s addiction to PlayStation and disregard for punctuality and discipline had reached its limit, leading to heated arguments. Enrique even considered giving up on him—who could have imagined that this "PlayStation guy" would be holding the Ballon d'Or trophy a year later?

After a 5-0 Champions League victory over Inter Milan in Munich, an ecstatic Enrique said: "I would award the Ballon d'Or to Dembélé. Only when he contributes effectively to defense does he deserve this honor. The Ballon d'Or winner should lead the team through scoring, pressing, defending, leadership, and winning titles—his performance was flawless." This African-descended boy from the small Norman town of Vernon has become a new idol for many African football youths in France.

Dembélé's father is Malian, and his mother is of Mauritanian and Senegalese mixed heritage. At 19, he declined a Premier League offer to join Borussia Dortmund. During the summer when Bartomeu was desperately spending after losing Neymar, Dembélé became an expensive replacement that Barça fans were not entirely pleased with. In 2021, Barça coach Xavi firmly stated, "If used properly, Dembélé can become the best player in the world." Unfortunately, his obsession with football video games, serious disciplinary issues, and injuries prevented him from meeting expectations during his six seasons at Barça.

French football expert Laurence shares Xavi’s view: "Dembélé is a gem that needs to be polished the right way, which Enrique and PSG have successfully done." Last summer, Mbappé’s departure from PSG marked a turning point for Dembélé’s progress. PSG and Enrique focused all their resources and efforts on him. Being "abandoned" by Enrique in Paris before the away match against Arsenal made Dembélé realize the high expectations his coach had for him. This internal punishment was the turning point of his last season: "It not only reflects Enrique’s management skills but also became a catalyst for Dembélé’s internal drive to prove himself."

The "right way to polish" Dembélé also involved moving him from the wing to the number 9 position. Many, including his youth coach at Rennes, Courbis, believed Dembélé’s ideal position was actually as a number 9 or 10. However, due to his speed and dribbling skills, coaches often placed him on the wing. Enrique assigned him to play as a striker, building the whole team’s tactics around him. This change was decisive not only for Dembélé but for the entire PSG squad.

From an "internet-addicted youth" to Ballon d'Or winner, the real transformation had to come from Dembélé himself. His talent was always there. When asked about Dembélé, former Dortmund coach Tuchel’s eyes would say, "My God, you rarely see a genius like him." But talent alone is far from enough to win the Ballon d'Or. At Barça, he was among the players fined most frequently in recent years, with serious questions about his discipline and professionalism. The same issues existed at PSG, but Enrique changed everything.

Additionally, during his time at Barça, he suffered up to 14 muscle injuries, totaling 784 days sidelined. At PSG, Dembélé finally realized his career was at its "last chance." He hired a personal nutritionist, chef, and physiotherapist, rejuvenating his form. A close friend revealed: "For a long time, Dembélé focused solely on football without distractions. Even if he played PS games until 2 a.m., he could still perform well in training that day." Getting married and becoming a father in 2021 also had great significance for him, making him understand how important responsibility is for success.

Dembélé is the sixth French player to win the Ballon d'Or. The previous winner, Benzema, once said he wished he had understood earlier how "off-field discipline" affects a player's performance. This statement also became Dembélé’s motto during his PSG years. Littleton, one of the first journalists to interview Dembélé at age 16, recognized the young Frenchman’s talent early: "Dembélé’s win proves that the football world underestimates the role of randomness in professional football. Enrique and Dembélé joining PSG, and Mbappé leaving, ironically led PSG without superstars to reach its peak."

PSG had as many as nine players shortlisted in the 30-candidate Ballon d'Or list: "This is the reward for the 'team-first' philosophy. Just like Rodri at Manchester City last year, Dembélé has become a symbol of PSG’s team spirit. Yamal may be closer to Messi in talent, but Dembélé has the team of champions behind him."

This young prodigy, who joined Barça at 20 for a record fee of 105 million plus 45 million euros, even at his career’s lowest point—especially being substituted at halftime in the 2022 World Cup final—still kept the word "Believe" in his Instagram bio. It is this confidence in achieving success that helped Dembélé redeem himself and elevate both his and PSG’s place in football history.