When Ousmane Dembélé walked into Paris Saint-Germain’s facilities holding the Ballon d’Or, Luis Enrique lost his composure. He shouted his name, arms thrown wide, then wrapped him in a hug before leaning down to kiss the golden ball.

For once, the coach who spends matches pacing and scowling let the world see him as a fan. The video lasted only seconds, but it captured the story of PSG’s season: a player redeemed, a coach vindicated, and a team that finally believed.

From “fragile” to untouchable

Dembélé’s season made the case. He bagged 35 goals and added 14 assists in all competitions, including eight in Europe. He shifted from winger to striker midseason and exploded, hitting 30 goals from December onward. His semifinal strike against Arsenal, his hat-trick against Stuttgart, and his two assists in the Champions League final carried PSG to the treble they had chased for decades.

By the time the Ballon d’Or vote arrived, his numbers were impossible to ignore.

But it wasn’t just the goals. Dembélé pressed, tracked back, and worked like the player critics once said he could never be. He had missed nearly 800 days to injury at Barcelona, and for years was seen as “fragile.

In Paris, under Enrique, he became the heartbeat of a side that swept Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, the French Super Cup, and the Champions League. The Ballon d’Or wasn’t a goal in my career but it’s exceptional to win,” Dembélé said on stage. “I worked for the team to win the Champions League, and to be thanked with a trophy like the Ballon d’Or makes me very happy tonight.”

This was a club that had lost Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid and needed someone new to lead. Dembélé filled the void and then some. Even Mbappé acknowledged it, saying about his France teammate: “If it were up to me, I’d deliver it to his house.”