Ballon d'Or: Alain Traoré picks Ousmane Dembélé | OneFootball

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Ballon d'Or: Alain Traoré picks Ousmane Dembélé

In an exclusive statement to Foot Africa, former Burkina Faso international star and current Canal+ analyst Alain Traoré shared his perspective on the Ballon d'Or race. The former Auxerre, Stade Brestois, Lorient, and Monaco player tipped Ousmane Dembélé as the "favorite."

Alain Traoré was clear in his analysis, focusing on both the collective and individual performances of the Paris Saint-Germain winger:

Foot Africa followed up by asking the former Burkina Faso star, runner-up at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations: What about African players like Achraf Hakimi and Mohamed Salah... where do they rank on your list?

The analyst replied, "I don't know," before offering a more nuanced opinion on Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.

The remarks from Alain Traoré—who made his mark at Auxerre and Lorient and is now among the most influential analysts—will no doubt reignite the debate over the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The award ceremony will take place on Monday, September 22, 2025, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.