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Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has tipped his French compatriot Ousmane Dembele to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The Paris Saint-Germain star was phenomenal for the Ligue 1 giants, leading them to the nation’s first continental quadruple.
In a recent interview with the press, Konate tipped his compatriot for the most prestigious individual award in the sport, saying via Barca Universal:
"There has been a lot of talk about Lamine Yamal, about Kylian Mbappé... But for me, honestly, Ousmane Dembélé deserves the Ballon d'Or. Dembélé has had an exceptional season. I have no words. No one expected it to be like that.”
Ousmane Dembele faced Liverpool and Ibrahima Konate twice this season in the two legs of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. His PSG side emerged victorious on penalties after each side one their respective away legs 1-0.
The pair have shared the pitch for Les Bleus 12 times in their careers, averaging 2.08 points per game. The duo will face Spain on Thursday in the semi-final of the UEFA Nations League, where Dembele will hope to bolster his claim to the Ballon d'Or with another strong performance.
Liverpool star believes last season his best chance to win the Ballon d'Or
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah revealed the recently concluded season was his best chance to win the Ballon d'Or. The Egyptian star was phenomenal for the Reds last season, helping them to the Premier League title with 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 games across competitions.
In an interview with Sky Sports, the Egyptian admitted he enjoyed a fantastic campaign with the Reds, saying via ESPN:
"I would say I never had a season like this and winning big trophies so I would say this is my best chance to get it right now while I'm in the club because it's been a crazy year, a crazy season with a trophy, It's given me a good chance.”
Salah's manager, Arne Slot, echoed his feelings about winning the Ballon d'Or in another interview, telling ESPN:
"It's completely true. He's had very, very good seasons at Liverpool but this one probably stands out in terms of numbers and if you add to that that we also won the league it will probably give him a fair chance.”
"Unfortunately, for all football fans around the world he's not the only player who's had a great season. But if there was ever a chance for him it will be this season. If not, he's going to try and push even harder next season. That's what I always know with Mo. In terms of individual performance, [getting better] would be nearly impossible, although never say something is impossible for Mo because he's proven that he can always raise his game even further.”
Salah will have to contend with Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembele while Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Raphinha remain in contention with their domestic treble.
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Patrick Cocobassey
Patrick is a European and international football journalist at Sportskeeda covering news and transfer rumors. A Business Administration graduate with a professional experience of 10 years, one of his earliest childhood memories is watching Calabar Rovers play at the U.J. Esuene Stadium with his father, with whom, he connects with, discussing the beautiful game.
Patrick’s favorite team is Manchester United for their unparallelled legacy and success in the game. He is a big admirer of Michael Carrick and his ‘smooth’ style of play back in the days. His favorite manager is Jose Mourinho, who according to him, brought a ‘swagger’ to football with his unique managerial style. Robin van Persie’s title-winning volley against Aston Villa for the 2013 PL triumph is etched in his memory forever.
Patrick always uses trusted outlets that produce accurate, balanced and fair information, and which present multiple point of views. He believes in reporting in a holistic manner for the readers’ benefit. If he could change a football rule, he would increase the number of substitutions allowed due to the high number of games played these days, to reduce injuries and so that youngsters get to show their talent as well.
When not covering football, Patrick loves reading, writing poems and short stories, and spend time with his dog Lana.
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Edited by Aditya Singh