Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d’Or at a ceremony held on Monday at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. A key figure in PSG’s Champions League triumph, the forward expressed his gratitude for the honor and highlighted the lessons he learned alongside Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona.
That moment sparked a memorable interaction and a heartfelt gesture from Messi. It first appeared in the comments of a post Dembele shared, where Messi wrote, “Grande Ous. Congratulations, I’m very happy for you. You deserve it,” accompanied by a hands-up emoji, celebrating the forward’s first Ballon d’Or after his standout performance in PSG’s maiden Champions League title.
It didn’t stop there. Dembele revealed that Messi was the first to personally congratulate him on the 2025 Ballon d’Or, a sincere gesture from his former Barcelona teammate that emphasized the historic achievement.
In an interview with L’Équipe, Dembele said, “Who was the first to congratulate me? Messi! He sent me a message directly. Xavi and Luis Suarez also sent their congratulations. Everyone was very happy for me.”
Dembele’s margin of victory
The PSG forward claimed the award with 1,380 votes, beating Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal by 321 points after a stellar season. Dembele’s win, fueled by 35 goals and 20 assists across Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and PSG’s first Champions League treble, marked a defining moment in his career.
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The bond they built at FC Barcelona
After leaving Borussia Dortmund, Dembele joined FC Barcelona in 2017 and quickly found an ally in Lionel Messi, both on and off the pitch. With Messi’s experience, the French forward absorbed guidance on professionalism and lifestyle choices necessary for reaching elite levels in football.
They played together at Barcelona from 2017 to 2021, winning two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, and a Spanish Supercup. During that period, Messi supported Dembele through a series of injuries that often limited the forward from realizing his full potential.
