Ballon d’Or: Dembélé predicts PSG player will win again

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Dembele

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By Adegboyega Adeleye

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Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has predicted that the Ballon d’Or will remain in the hands of a PSG player, as the nominees for the 2026 award are announced on Tuesday.

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According to ESPN, Dembélé named Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, PSG teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé as his top three candidates, although he stressed that his selections were in no particular order.

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“I don’t think this trophy is unpredictable. I think it will remain in the hands of a Paris Saint-Germain player,” Dembélé told French outlet L’Équipe.

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Dembélé is the current holder of the award after winning it in 2025 following PSG’s historic European treble, during which he scored 33 goals in all competitions.

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The France international, however, ruled himself out of his own top three, saying: “I never get into stuff like that. If I’m the one who speaks, I don’t vote for me.”

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Kane has emerged as one of the leading contenders after what he described as his “best by far” season, scoring 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich and helping England finish third at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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The England captain said he was “extremely proud” of his campaign and admitted that winning the Ballon d’Or would fulfil a dream he had held since childhood.

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Mbappé is also among the leading contenders after a prolific season with Real Madrid and a standout World Cup with France, where he won the Golden Boot with 10 goals.

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The full list of Ballon d’Or nominees will be announced on Tuesday, with the ceremony scheduled for October 26 in London.

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