Dembele's failed juggling act is back in the spotlight

Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Photo: Reuters .

On the morning of September 23, Dembele became the winner of the 2025 Golden Ball award organized by France Football magazine. The striker born in 1997 became the second PSG player in history, after Lionel Messi, to win the Golden Ball.

The world media congratulated Dembele on his victory after an explosive year with PSG. But there were also fans who dug up embarrassing moments of the French striker in the past to mock him.

Back in 2017, over 17,000 Barcelona fans turned up at the Camp Nou to watch Dembele, a €105 million signing, make his debut. Dembele caught the eye with a simple flick of the ball with his front instep and the outside of his foot. However, when he attempted to perform a flick over his head, he botched it.

The striker appeared confused and tried to juggle the ball several times but continued to fail, creating an embarrassing feeling in front of tens of thousands of fans. At that time, many Barcelona fans doubted Dembele's ability, thinking that he would become a "flop at Camp Nou".

Dembele missed the ball many times on his Barcelona debut.

In fact, Dembele went through a disappointing period in his career while playing for Barcelona, when he only scored 24 goals in 127 appearances. It was only when he played for PSG and was coached by coach Luis Enrique that this striker made a leap forward in his career.

"Before, I never set a goal to win the Golden Ball, but I did it today. What I just experienced is extraordinary. I don't know how to describe my feelings right now , " Dembele said after winning the award at the Chatelet Theater (France).

The 2024/25 season was an extraordinary year for Dembele. The striker scored 35 goals, adding 16 assists. The former Barcelona star's explosive performances helped PSG win the Champions League, Ligue 1, the French Cup, the French Super Cup and the European Super Cup.