Dembele could lose the Ballon d'Or.

PSG's 0-3 defeat to Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup final on the morning of July 14th has shaken Ousmane Dembele's position in the 2025 Ballon d'Or race.

PSG suffered a crushing defeat against Chelsea in the Club World Cup final. In the early hours of July 14th, PSG lost to Chelsea 0-3 in the match to decide the champion of the Club World Cup.

Ahead of the final, former Ligue 1 coach Pascal Dupraz emphasized that if PSG won the Club World Cup, Dembele would almost certainly win the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale also agreed with this view.

Bale believed that PSG's collective achievements (a quadruple including the Club World Cup) combined with Dembele's individual form meant he had no competition. However, things have changed now.

Mundo Deportivo suggests that PSG and Dembele's failure in the US could create an opportunity for Lamine Yamal or even Cole Palmer in the race for the world's most prestigious individual award in football.

The Rise of Palmer

Cole Palmer, with his brace in the Club World Cup final and 37 goals in Chelsea's 2024/25 season, is a worthy rival to Dembele in the 2025 Ballon d'Or race.

Although Chelsea only won the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup last season, Palmer's individual performance (shining brightly in both finals) significantly increased his chances. The 2025 Ballon d'Or will be decided by journalists from many countries around the world, based on individual performance, team achievements, and influence.

Dembele has the advantage of having won the Champions League, but the defeat against Chelsea might lead some journalists to favor Yamal or Palmer, who have more inspiring stories (Yamal with his youth, Palmer with his brilliance in two finals).

According to coach Dupraz, journalists sometimes have differing assessments of a player's impact in big matches. Dembele's failure in the Club World Cup final, while not directly his fault, may have diminished the impact of Palmer's performance.

In 2025, there will be no major national team tournaments (World Cup or Euro), so club achievements will be the main factor. The Ballon d'Or will usually go to players who win major club titles in seasons without a World Cup or Euro.

Dembele was central to PSG's historic treble win this season. But with Chelsea's UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup double, Palmer also deserved credit.

Many people have the right to argue that, apart from the Champions League, PSG's domestic titles aren't particularly impressive, given the team's clear superiority over its rivals.

Palmer turned the Ballon d'Or race around.

Competition from Yamal

Lamine Yamal, with 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 games for Barcelona, ​​along with 3 goals for the Spanish national team at Euro 2024, is another strong contender. Although Barcelona only won the domestic treble and were eliminated in the Champions League semi-finals, Yamal's performances as a teenager made a strong impression on the public.

AS suggests that Yamal's remarkable story could convince journalists, especially since Dembele was unable to complete a "poker" of titles with the Club World Cup.

Demebele is obviously still the number one candidate for the Ballon d'Or, with his consistent performances and proven class. But statistics don't lie: Yamal has consistently shone in big matches this season.

Yamal also consistently defeated France and Dembele with the Spanish national team at all levels, from Euro 2024 to the Nations League 2025.

The race for the 2025 Ballon d'Or is still wide open, and perhaps Dembele needs another impressive performance in the European Super Cup against Tottenham on August 13th to solidify his position.

Source: https://znews.vn/dembele-co-the-mat-qua-bong-vang-post1568586.html