The 2026 Ballon d’Or debate is entering its decisive stage, and Ousmane Dembélé once again finds himself at the centre of the conversation.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward is attempting to become the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2017 to retain the men’s Ballon d’Or. Dembélé already won the award in 2025 after a remarkable campaign with PSG, and his performances during the 2025/26 season have given him another strong case.
The 2026 voting period covers performances from August 3, 2025 through July 19, 2026, meaning Dembélé’s performances during PSG’s Champions League triumph and France’s 2026 World Cup campaign are central to the discussion.
For Cambodian football fans following the global race, here are five major reasons why Dembélé has a compelling case for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
1. Another Champions League Crown
The biggest argument for Dembélé is simple: he helped PSG win the Champions League again.
After PSG finally captured their first European crown in 2025, the French giants followed it up by winning the competition again in the 2025/26 season. PSG defeated Arsenal in the final after a 1-1 draw, eventually winning the penalty shootout 4-3. Dembélé played an important role in that final, scoring PSG’s equalising penalty before the shootout.
That achievement carries considerable weight in any Ballon d’Or discussion.
Dembélé finished the Champions League campaign with eight goals and two assists in 13 appearances, according to the source article. His influence was especially noticeable once PSG entered the knockout stages.
Ousmane Dembele celebrates PSG Champions League triumph in 2026 Ballon d'Or raceFor a player trying to defend the world’s biggest individual award, helping his club win Europe’s biggest competition for a second consecutive season is a major part of the argument.
2. Dembélé Delivered When the Pressure Was Highest
Statistics can tell part of the story, but big-game performances often define the Ballon d’Or conversation.
That is where Dembélé’s 2025/26 Champions League campaign becomes particularly interesting.
The Frenchman scored against Chelsea in the round of 16, then produced a brace against Liverpool in the quarter-final second leg. In the semi-final against Bayern Munich, he scored twice in the first leg before finding the net again in the return fixture in Germany.
Then came the final.
With PSG trailing Arsenal, Dembélé stepped forward and converted the penalty that brought the French club level.
That sequence gave him a remarkable record in the knockout rounds, where the stakes were highest.
For Cambodian supporters watching European football, this is one of the easiest aspects of Dembélé’s case to understand: he was not simply accumulating numbers against weaker opposition. He repeatedly contributed when PSG needed decisive moments.
His Champions League performances therefore form an important part of the argument that his 2026 candidacy is about influence rather than statistics alone.
3. Relentless Creativity and Attacking Production
Dembélé’s influence was not limited to European competition.
Across the 2025/26 campaign, he remained one of PSG’s most important attacking players. The source article notes that he contributed 30 goals across the season, with his production spread across Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the Trophée des Champions, the UEFA Super Cup and Champions League.
His Ligue 1 numbers were particularly notable considering his limited availability.
Dembélé made 22 Ligue 1 appearances, starting only half of those matches, yet still recorded 10 goals and seven assists. According to the source article, no PSG player produced more total goal contributions during the club’s title-winning Ligue 1 campaign.
Independent statistical data also records 20 goals and 11 assists for Dembélé across 39 PSG appearances in all competitions during 2025/26.
That combination of scoring and creation is important.
Dembélé can operate centrally, move into wide areas, attack defenders one-on-one and create opportunities for teammates. PSG’s official profile describes him as a two-footed forward who became increasingly complete after moving into a more central role under Luis Enrique.
A Different Type of Forward
His development into a more complete attacking player has arguably changed the way he influences matches.
Rather than relying solely on acceleration and dribbling, Dembélé has become more comfortable:
- Dropping deeper to participate in build-up play
- Moving between defensive lines
- Creating space for teammates
- Finishing with either foot
- Attacking defenders directly
- Operating as a false nine
That versatility gives him another dimension in the Ballon d’Or discussion.
4. The Eye Test: More Than Numbers
There is another part of Dembélé’s case that cannot easily be reduced to statistics.
He is simply an extremely difficult player to defend.
The source article highlights his ability to operate as a false nine under Luis Enrique, where he can drop into midfield, drift into wide positions or use his pace to attack space behind defenders.
His two-footed ability makes him even harder for defenders to predict.
If a defender forces him onto his left foot, Dembélé can still attack. If the defender shows him the other direction, he can change direction and accelerate away.
That unpredictability has become one of his biggest weapons.
Ousmane Dembele dribbles past defenders during PSG Champions League campaignFor a Cambodian audience, this type of visual can also make the article easier to scan on mobile while reinforcing the central theme: Dembélé’s value is not entirely captured by goals and assists.
5. A Strong 2026 World Cup Campaign With France
The final major argument comes from the international stage.
The 2026 World Cup was played during the Ballon d’Or evaluation period, making France’s campaign particularly important for Dembélé’s candidacy.
France reached the semi-finals, continuing an extraordinary run of deep World Cup finishes. Dembélé played an important role throughout the tournament, scoring five goals and providing two assists in eight appearances, according to the source article.
His World Cup campaign included a hat-trick against Norway, a goal against Morocco in the quarter-finals and another goal against England in the third-place play-off.
France ultimately did not win the tournament, which means Dembélé’s international case is not as straightforward as it might have been with a World Cup title.
Nevertheless, five goals and two assists during a semi-final run represent a substantial contribution.
Ousmane Dembele France World Cup 2026 performance strengthens Ballon d'Or caseDembélé’s Road to a Second Ballon d’Or
Dembélé’s potential 2026 Ballon d’Or defence is particularly interesting because of how different his journey has become.
A year after winning the award, he is no longer simply trying to prove that his breakthrough season was sustainable. He is attempting to show that he belongs at the very top of world football on a consistent basis.
PSG’s back-to-back Champions League victories provide the foundation of his case, while his knockout-stage goals, domestic production, creativity and World Cup performances add further weight.
The competition, however, remains intense.
The 2026 field includes other elite candidates, including Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and several of Dembélé’s PSG teammates. The final decision will ultimately be determined by the Ballon d’Or voting process rather than any single statistical category.
Dembélé himself has acknowledged that the race is difficult. In September, he said he wanted the trophy to remain with a PSG player while also recognising that the competition was undecided.
Why Dembélé Has a Serious Case
There are five central pillars to the argument:
Champions League success: PSG won Europe’s biggest club competition for a second consecutive season, with Dembélé contributing throughout the knockout rounds.
Big-game impact: He scored important goals against Liverpool and Bayern Munich and converted the equalising penalty in the final.
Consistent production: He combined goals and assists across multiple competitions despite missing matches through injury and rotation.
Individual quality: His two-footedness, dribbling, movement and versatility make him one of the most difficult attackers to contain.
World Cup influence: He helped France reach the semi-finals with five goals and two assists.
Put together, those achievements explain why Dembélé remains a major figure in the 2026 Ballon d’Or conversation.
Whether the voters ultimately select him is a separate question, but the evidence gives the defending champion a substantial case to be considered for back-to-back honours.
For football fans in Cambodia and around the world, the final stage of the race promises plenty of discussion before the winner is announced in London on October 26, 2026.
