How Ousmane Dembélé became a finisher in a year of trophies | OneFootball

Ousmane Dembélé’s crowning year was built on a change of role, the PSG forward becoming a decisive finisher to match his flair. His Champions League triumph, five other trophies with Paris, the 2025 Ballon d’Or and L'Équipe’s Champion of Champions were underpinned by that shift.

The long admired talent shed old caveats in the winter of 2024-2025. Often mocked for wastefulness, he became a player who decided matches.

Stationed between the lines, he created space, connected team-mates and led the press with his defensive running. After directors asked him to assume the attacking mantle left by Kylian Mbappé, he initially saw penalties assigned to Vitinha. Soon after, used as a false nine because others had not convinced, he hit a hat-trick at Stuttgart in a 4-1 win on 29 January.

Momentum carried into Europe’s knockouts. Against Liverpool in the last 16, he scored at Anfield and converted in a shootout that ended 4-1 after 0-1 and 1-0 legs.

In the quarter-finals with Aston Villa he set up Nuno Mendes in both legs, 3-1 then 3-2. He struck the only goal at the Emirates in the semi-final first leg against Arsenal, then assisted Achraf Hakimi in the 2-1 return.

In the final against Inter Milan, he supplied Désiré Doué and Khvitcha Kvaratskhelia in a 5-0 victory, and harried goalkeeper Yann Sommer. He finished with 35 goals in 2024-2025, including 27 between January and July, more than his previous five seasons combined.

Source: L'Équipe