Ballon d'or 2025: Xavi finally opens up about Ousmane Dembélé's triumph | OneFootball

Interview

Xavi - Ousmnane Dembélé

During his latest appearance, Xavi Hernandez was asked about the 2025 Ballon d'Or, which was won by his former protégé, Ousmane Dembélé.

While on the FC Barcelona bench, Xavi coached Ousmane Dembélé as a player. For the Spanish manager, seeing the Frenchman lift the Ballon d'Or is more than deserved. According to him, the PSG forward has matured and now plays a completely different game compared to his early days.

"Ousmane is an extraordinary player, we knew that from the moment he arrived in Barcelona. We saw all his potential, we worked hard to make him feel comfortable and happy. We saw a player with immense room for growth, a genuine desire to learn, and he made enormous progress with us. Then the Paris Saint-Germain offer came, he left for Paris and there, he completely exploded. He’s happy there, he feels like the star of the team, of the project. On top of that, they won the Champions League, where he shone with many goals and assists. He made the difference. He’s an exceptional player, and the Ballon d'Or is more than deserved." Xavi revealed.