"If he was called Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, there would be no discussion" - Paris Saint-Germain chief has his say on Ballon d’Or winner
Published 16/09/2025 at 15:16 GMT+1
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PSG sporting director Luis Campos has backed star player Ousmane Dembele to win the Ballon d'Or, saying if "he were called Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there would be no discussion" over him winning it. Demebele scored 35 goals and assisted 16 times in 53 matches in all competitions and is widely considered to be the favourite to take home the award after winning a historic treble.
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Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos strongly backed star player Ousmane Dembele to win the Ballon d’Or.
Since the 30 nominees were revealed on August 7, Dembele has been the overwhelming favourite to succeed Rodri as the men's Ballon d’Or winner.
After a season in which the Frenchman scored 35 goals and assisted 16 times across all competitions, resulting in his side winning the treble and finally lifting the UEFA Champions League, it is no surprise that the 28-year-old is most critics' winner.
It is unlikely anyone has defended his case as vehemently as Campos, though, who insists there is "no discussion" as to who the best player in the world was last season.
In fact, Campos went as far as bringing up eight-time winner Lionel Messi and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, saying they would win the award if they had seasons like Dembele.
"If Ousmane doesn’t win the Ballon d’Or, it’s because the people who voted don’t have the competence to vote for the Ballon d’Or," he told RMC Sport.
"The one who clearly deserves the Ballon d’Or is Ousmane Dembele. There’s no discussion. I’m talking about last season, not a projection about Lamine Yamal in a few years.
"If [Dembele] was called Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there would be no discussion. This season, the player with the best statistics and the player who excelled in all competitions is Ousmane Dembele."
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After such a brilliant season saw PSG add four trophies to their cabinet and reach the FIFA Club World Cup final, it is unsurprising Dembele is not their only nominee.
In total, the French champions had nine nominees, a record number of players nominated from one club.
The likes of Vitinha and Nuno Mendes are likely to feature close to Dembele after their success with Portugal in the summer, while Achraf Hakimi is another who will be challenging for the top 10.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is most likely to win the Yashin award, though he has since moved to Manchester City, while Desire Doue, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz are also nominated.
Campos believed PSG could have had more nominations, too, such was the brilliance they displayed throughout the season - but he once again came back to Dembele as his side’s best player.
"PSG has nine Ballon d’Or nominees. We’re very happy - other players also deserve to be nominated, like [Bradley] Barcola and [Willian] Pacho," Campos added.
"Ousmane Dembele was chosen as the best player in the Champions League, the best player in his league; he’s won everything.
"Hakimi and Vitinha also had extraordinary seasons, but the truth is that the best player in the Champions League and Ligue 1 is Ousmane Dembele."
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on Monday, September 22, hosted by Kate Scott and 1987 Ballon d’Or winner Ruud Gullit.
It is likely PSG will be taking home the bulk of the awards, with manager Luis Enrique up for the Men’s Johan Cruyff Trophy and the club in contention to win Men’s Club of the Year.
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