Dembele is not 'good enough'

Ousmane Dembele is the brightest candidate for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, but controversially was not ranked by Goal as one of the "world-class" players.

Dembele only really shined in the first 6 months of the year.

Goal 's decision surprised and even angered many, but looking back at his entire career, Dembele is a typical name for contradiction. The French striker possesses extraordinary talent, but is also erratic and unpredictable.

Once called a "phenomenon on the pitch" by Lionel Messi, Dembele himself admitted that he "wasted five years" at Barcelona due to his lack of professionalism. From arriving late to training due to playing games all night, poor diet, to constant injuries, all were the result of his indulgence.

Dembele quickly became a symbol of the Catalan club's disappointment at a price of 148 million euros. His brilliance under Xavi brought some hope, but it quickly disappeared amid a series of injuries, internal conflicts and an ugly departure. PSG activated the 50 million euro release clause, half of which went to Dembele himself.

It wasn’t until 2025 that Dembele really exploded. He created a comeback against Man City, contributing 8 goals and 6 assists to help PSG win the Champions League for the first time. Dembele was also an important part of the French capital team’s historic treble.

Luis Enrique even reborn him as a centre-forward, a decision that Montpellier's coach called the idea of the century. But it should be noted that Dembele has only been consistent since January 2025, and that is why experts are still hesitant to put him in the " world class" category.

"World class" is something defined by time, persistence and determination at the top. That is something Dembele has only shown in six months. In the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final, which lost 0-3 to Chelsea, Dembele was completely invisible.

Dembele needs to maintain consistent form over a long period of time.

Dembele is a 2018 World Cup winner, but has been a bit of a supporting player. At Qatar 2022, he was so poor that he was substituted in the first half of the final, a performance that former player Stuart Pearce described as "the worst I've ever seen".

Throughout his international career, Dembele has yet to score a goal in major tournaments (World Cup, Euro, Nations League), making experts even more skeptical about his ability to shine at the highest level.

Messi once gave Dembele a shirt, boots and shorts at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, as a tacit recognition. And Dembele also admitted that Luis Enrique's PSG is the team that has made him "happiest" ever.

But that’s not enough to erase the past. Dembele had it all – fame, talent, expectations – and let it slip away. Now, at 28, Dembele needs more than six months of explosive form to prove his worth.

The 2025 Ballon d'Or may be calling Dembele's name, but if he wants the world to recognize him as a true "world-class player", he needs to prove it not just with moments, but over a long journey. And as always, it all depends on Dembele himself.

Source: https://znews.vn/dembele-chua-du-tam-post1574305.html