Dembele's decisive moment for the Golden Ball

Dembele is a strong candidate for the Golden Ball award. Photo: Reuters .

After being dropped from the squad for the Champions League qualifying round tie against Arsenal in October 2024, Dembele has regained his form and confidence in just a few months. From a troublesome striker, the former Barcelona star has become the key player that coach Luis Enrique needs in his quest to win the European Cup.

Two consecutive hat-tricks against Stuttgart and Brest have put Dembele back on track as PSG's top scorer. Since then, the French striker has scored 33 goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions. Before the big match against Inter Milan in the Champions League final on the morning of June 1, Dembele was the brightest star of the Ligue 1 club.

No player in Europe's top five leagues has been directly involved in more goals than Dembele, an incredible feat for a player who has scored just 24 goals in six seasons in Spain.

PSG need Dembele to shine in the final. Photo: Reuters .

Enrique's decision to move Dembele to a new position has paid off. As a centre-forward, Dembele plays like a typical number 9. "What surprised me was Dembélé's constant movement in the penalty area. He was always in the right place, ready to receive the ball and score with just one touch," Enrique said.

Thanks to his consistent performance at a high level, Dembele is considered one of the brightest candidates for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The Champions League title will help Dembele complete a historic treble with PSG, and this is an important factor for this striker to compete with Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Raphinha for the Ballon d'Or award.

According to calculations from CIES , Dembele is leading the race for the 2025 Ballon d'Or with a 63% chance of winning, far surpassing Mohamed Salah (9%), Lamine Yamal (23%) or Raphinha (21%).

The fact that Dembele is French also makes his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or higher, because the award organizer (France Football) will have certain favors for his compatriot.

What Dembele needs now is an explosive performance in Munich, against an experienced Inter Milan side. The French striker is on the verge of a match that could be a major turning point in his career.

Admire PSG's 3 masterpieces against Aston Villa. Early morning of April 10, Aston Villa suffered a 1-3 defeat to PSG in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.

Source: https://znews.vn/thoi-khac-quyet-dinh-qua-bong-vang-cua-dembele-post1557182.html