Dembélé named 2024/25 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele has been crowned the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season, following PSG’s historic triumph in the 2024/25 campaign. UEFA announced on Sunday that seven PSG stars made the official Champions League Team of the Season, further highlighting the French side’s dominance.
PSG lifted their first-ever UCL trophy in emphatic fashion, demolishing Inter Milan 5-0 in the final held in Munich. Although Dembele didn’t find the net in the final, his two assists and tireless pressing earned him plaudits from UEFA’s Technical Observer Group.
“Dembele has taken on the role of a leader in the PSG team, as we saw in the final with how he worked so hard, pressing from the front,” UEFA stated. “He created doubts for their opponents match after match with his clever movement, dropping deep to give his team superiority in midfield.”
PSG's stars lead UEFA Team of the Season
Joining Dembele in the Champions League Best XI are:
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Goalkeeper)
- Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes (Defenders)
- Vitinha (Midfielder)
- Desire Doue (Forward)
Desire Doue, just 18 years old, was also named the UCL Young Player of the Season, edging out Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. Doue scored twice and provided an assist in the final, becoming the first teenager to score a brace in a Champions League final.
“Doue has been a revelation this season,” UEFA commented. “He made an incredible breakthrough in the knockout phase and delivered a Player of the Match performance on Saturday night.”
Four Non-PSG Players make the cut
Despite the one-sided final, UEFA included four standout performers from other teams:
- Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan) – the only representative from the runners-up
- Declan Rice (Arsenal) – recognized for his consistency in midfield
- Raphinha and Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) – both joint top scorers this season
UEFA highlighted the mobility and positional flexibility of the PSG attack as a key factor in their dominance:
“The forward line selected represents a flexible team with attacking players who can interchange positions. This mobility was a signature of PSG’s victorious approach.”
Dembele’s Ballon d’Or candidacy boosted
Dembele’s Player of the Season title could significantly impact the Ballon d’Or 2025 race, with the award set to be presented on September 22. PSG head coach Luis Enrique has thrown his full support behind the French winger:
“I’d give the Ballon d’Or to Ousmane Dembele, simply for the way he defends.”
Other contenders for the Ballon d’Or include Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Donnarumma, all of whom had standout seasons in the Champions League.
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