Dembele from PSG Set to Outshine Yamal for Ballon dOr Prize

Ousmane Dembele, the forward playing for Paris Saint Germain, looks likely to surpass the young Barcelona talent Lamine Yamal and take home the mens Ballon dOr on Monday. At the same time, Aitana Bonmati has a strong chance of claiming her third win in a row for the womens award.

Football enthusiasts around the globe will come together for an elegant event at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. They aim to find out the latest champions of this renowned honour, which Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo controlled for many years.

Those two players claimed the Ballon dOr a total of 13 times between 2008 and 2023.

This esteemed individual accolade in football went to Manchester City midfielder Rodri last year. He led Spain to victory in Euro 2024 as captain.

Since Rodri is not in the running this time due to a season plagued by injuries, the 28 year old Dembele stands out as the top choice. He comes from a group of candidates mostly made up of Paris Saint Germains Champions League victors.

Nine players from the Paris Saint Germain squad that secured their first European title with a stunning 5 0 win over Inter Milan are included in the 30 nominees.

With Dembele are Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha. Also nominated is the goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who now plays for Manchester City.

Dembele seems to lead the pack following an outstanding season where he stepped into the role vacated by Kylian Mbappe in Paris, netting 35 goals.

His efforts aided Paris Saint Germain in achieving a full sweep of domestic honours and advancing to the Club World Cup final.

It proved a remarkable year for the French side and an even more impressive one for Dembele, who shifted from winger to central striker.

"It feels great following such a superb season alongside Paris Saint Germain," Dembele shared with Le Monde when questioned about being a prime candidate for the award.

"I believe it is accurate that I rank among the frontrunners, yet we shall discover the outcome."

A number of Paris Saint Germain candidates will skip the event because their Ligue 1 clash with Marseille got delayed by a day on Sunday owing to severe weather in southern France. Dembele, however, remains sidelined by injury and might make an appearance.

Among the remaining nominees, the 18 year old Yamal shines brightly. He has risen as a key figure on Barcelonas wing and is viewed as Messis heir apparent.

Last year at the Ballon dOr ceremony, he picked up the Kopa Trophy for the finest under 21 player, right after aiding Spain in winning the European Championship.

During the previous season, he netted 18 goals across 55 matches in various competitions while Barcelona captured La Liga and the Spanish Copa del Rey. Yet they fell in the Champions League semi finals against Inter.

"I do not aspire to just one Ballon dOr victory, I aim for many," Yamal commented lately.

Bonmati or the Lionesses?

Voting for the Ballon dOr now focuses on performances from the prior season, unlike the former calendar year approach.

Standout candidates also encompass Viktor Gyokeres, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, plus the vital pair from Liverpools 2024 2025 Premier League success, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

Mbappe and Vinicius Junior appear on the roster as well, one year on from Real Madrids protest boycott of the event. They were upset that the latter missed out on the award.

A group of journalists, one per nation from the top 100 in FIFAs world rankings, decides the Ballon dOr.

For the womens category, it involves the top 50 nations, where the competition seems quite even. Barcelona and Spain standout Bonmati seeks a third straight win.

The 27 year old Bonmati possesses remarkable skill and earned player of the tournament honours at the UEFA Womens Euro in July.

However, Spain dropped the final of that competition on penalties to England. Bonmatis Barcelona side also fell short in the Champions League final against Arsenal in May.

This could benefit either her or her colleague and previous two time champion Alexia Putellas. The England squad that prevailed at the Euros lacks a clear dominant figure.

From that England lineup, nominees include Lucy Bronze, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, Alessia Russo and captain Leah Williamson. Chloe Kelly, who netted the winning penalty in the final, is also in contention.