After his victory, Dembélé backs the 'Merengue' player for the Ballon d'Or | OneFootball

Dembélé predicts Mbappé's Ballon d'Or triumph

Dembélé / @x.com/dembouz

After more than 40 days on the sidelines, Ousmane Dembélé, Paris Saint-Germain star and freshly crowned 2025 Ballon d'Or winner, has returned to the pitch.

He played a key role in PSG's emphatic 7-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Champions League matchday three on Tuesday night, netting a stunning goal just minutes after coming off the bench.

Dembélé backs Mbappé for the Ballon d'Or

Despite his joy at returning, Dembélé didn't forget to praise his friend and fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, currently playing for Real Madrid, who had warmly congratulated him on social media after his triumph.

Asked about Mbappé's chances of capturing the Ballon d'Or, Dembélé said: "Kylian deserves to win it. His career has been incredible and his start to the season is outstanding. He's scoring goals consistently."

He added, "I hope he keeps up this momentum. He's my friend and I'd love to see him lift the Ballon d'Or one day."