Dembélé joins football’s most exclusive club of World Cup, UCL, and Ballon d’Or winners
When France forward Ousmane Dembélé lifted the 2025 Ballon d’Or, he didn’t just secure another personal accolade—he joined one of football’s rarest circles. The PSG star became only the tenth player in history to win the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Ballon d’Or in a career. The exclusive club began with the late […]
When France forward Ousmane Dembélé lifted the 2025 Ballon d’Or, he didn’t just secure another personal accolade—he joined one of football’s rarest circles.
The PSG star became only the tenth player in history to win the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Ballon d’Or in a career.
The exclusive club began with the late Sir Bobby Charlton, who inspired England’s 1966 World Cup triumph, won the European Cup with Manchester United in 1968, and claimed the Ballon d’Or in the same year as his nation’s crowning glory.
In the 1970s, Germany’s golden era produced Gerd Müller and Franz Beckenbauer, who combined Bayern Munich’s European dominance with West Germany’s World Cup success.
Italy’s Paolo Rossi had his unforgettable summer in 1982, winning both the World Cup and Ballon d’Or before completing the treble with Juventus. A decade and a half later, Zinedine Zidane etched his name with France’s 1998 World Cup, Real Madrid’s 2002 Champions League triumph, and his own Ballon d’Or win.
Brazil then produced a trio of icons—Rivaldo (1999), Ronaldinho (2005), and Kaká (2007)—each blending World Cup glory with European and individual supremacy. In 2022, Lionel Messi finally added the World Cup to his long list of accolades to secure his place.
Now, Dembélé stands among them. Overcome with emotion at the ceremony, he admitted the Ballon d’Or had never been a personal target but dedicating it to his family brought him to tears.
His stats spoke volumes: 35 goals, 16 assists in 53 matches, including 14 goal involvements in 15 Champions League appearances, capped by PSG’s historic 5–0 victory over Inter Milan in the final.
Meanwhile, reactions to his triumph have been mixed. Many hailed it as richly deserved, pointing to his role in PSG’s first Champions League crown, while others argued Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal—runner-up and winner of the Kopa Trophy—had the stronger case. Yamal responded graciously, writing on social media: “God’s plan is perfect, you have to climb to get to the top.”
Among the critics was Yamal’s father, Mounir Nasroui, who condemned the result as “moral harm” and suggested the voting was questionable.
Meanwhile, fellow professionals showered Dembélé with praise. Kylian Mbappé posted: “Ousmane Dembélé. It’s so exciting, my brother! You deserve it 1000 times.” Likewise, Lionel Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, wrote: “Great Ous!!! Congratulations I’m so happy for you. You deserve it.”