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| Ronaldo and Mbappé Back Dembélé for Ballon d’Or 2025 – Lamine Yamal Left Out? |
The race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or is heating up, and it’s already stirring up big opinions from some of the biggest names in football. Two front-runners have emerged: Ousmane Dembélé, who helped PSG win a historic quadruple (yep, including their first-ever Champions League title!), and Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old sensation who led Barcelona to a domestic treble.
Sounds like a tight race, right? Well, not according to Kylian Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo—they’ve both made it clear who their pick is. Spoiler alert: it’s not Yamal.
Mbappé Is All-In on Dembélé
When asked who deserves to win the Ballon d’Or this year, Mbappé didn’t hesitate.
“Would I vote for Dembélé? Yes. I don’t think it needs much explaining,” he said confidently. “People are talking about Lamine Yamal and Dembélé, but my choice is clear: I vote for Dembélé.”
And honestly, Dembélé's numbers are hard to argue with. He scored 33 goals and assisted 15 across 49 matches. In the Champions League alone, he racked up 14 goal contributions—including two assists in the final against Inter Milan. He was absolutely clutch in the biggest moments.
Mbappé knows this firsthand. He played alongside Dembélé at PSG before moving to Real Madrid. Even though they now play for rival clubs, they still link up on international duty with the French national team. So yeah, he’s seen Dembélé’s magic up close.
What About Lamine Yamal?
It’s not like Yamal hasn’t been amazing too. The teenage star lit up La Liga with Barcelona and was a huge part of their treble win. Plus, he’s already performing like a veteran at just 17. Remember his brace against France in the UEFA Nations League semifinals? That wild 5–4 win over Mbappé’s squad? Yeah, that happened.
But still, he didn’t get the nod from Mbappé—or from Cristiano Ronaldo, for that matter.
Ronaldo said something that gives us a pretty big hint about where he stands: “In my opinion, whoever wins it should be on a team that has won trophies. The Ballon d’Or winner should be in a team that has won the Champions League.”
Boom. That’s a not-so-subtle nod to Dembélé, especially since Barcelona and Yamal were knocked out in the Champions League semifinals.
Ronaldo Still Shows Respect
Even though Ronaldo seems to favor Dembélé, he did throw some support Yamal’s way. “Lamine Yamal is doing very well, taking advantage of his talent. Let the kid grow. Don’t put too much pressure on him. He has no shortage of talent.”
Basically, Ronaldo’s saying: chill out and let the kid develop without piling on expectations. Fair enough.
Who Deserves It More?
So, who really deserves to win the Ballon d’Or 2025? If you go by trophies and stats, Dembélé’s got a solid case. But Yamal’s rise at such a young age is something we don’t see every day. He’s not just talented—he’s making a real impact in huge games.
At the end of the day, the voters will decide. But when two legends like Ronaldo and Mbappé are this vocal about their choice, it definitely shakes things up.
What do you think? Should the Ballon d’Or go to Dembélé for his trophy-laden season, or does the future belong to the teen prodigy Lamine Yamal?
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