Dembélé pushes Lamine away from the Ballon d'Or and Fabián Ruiz is the big secret.

The race for the 2025 Ballon d'Or is once again in Ousmane Dembélé's favor . PSG's 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid in the Club World Cup semi-finals has put the Parisians one step closer to the title, and Lamine Yamal has little reason to hope for, with no chance of winning any silverware before the award ceremony on September 22nd. Both the French striker and Fabián Ruiz, the big dark horse, are now one step closer to individual glory.

Dembélé is the big star of PSG who has finally won it all . Luis Enrique's men's treble makes them clear contenders for the Ballon d'Or, although winning the Champions League, La Liga, and Copa del Rey isn't always a decisive factor.

And, not counting this season, only ten European teams have achieved this feat, and only twice has one of their players been honored by France Football (Leo Messi in 2009 and 2015). In fact, the Argentine also won the award in 2010 and 2023, when Inter Milan and Manchester City won all three major club trophies.

Even so, Dembélé has the stats and accolades on his side: 35 goals, 16 assists, MVP of the Champions League and Ligue 1, undisputed leader of PSG, and a key pillar of Luis Enrique's footballing strategy . If the Parisians also win the Club World Cup, the debate will be over.

But Lamine Yamal also has a case to make. The young right winger has made a statement, presenting himself as the great promise of football, and now a reality. Crucial in the club's LaLiga, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup triumphs , the Barça star has captivated fans, although the numbers are against him.

Aside from not having won the Champions League like Dembélé and not having participated in the Club World Cup, his numbers and accolades fall short. 18 goals and 25 assists are great numbers , but they mean he's eight goal contributions behind his rival, having played three more games this season. Furthermore, he hasn't even been named LaLiga's best player , an award that went to his teammate Raphinha.

The other candidates, with fewer chances than Ousmane, are some of his PSG teammates. Vitinha and Nuno Mendes are also Nations League champions , but despite the importance of national team titles in the Ballon d'Or voting, neither Cristiano Ronaldo in 2019, Kylian Mbappé in 2021, nor Rodri Hernández in 2023 took home the trophy (all of which, controversially, went to Leo Messi).

Fabián Ruiz is also in the running for football's most prestigious individual award. The Andalusian midfielder has already established himself as a key player for both La Roja and Paris Saint-Germain, and is the standout player at the Club World Cup, scoring two goals against Real Madrid in the semifinals . If this FIFA tournament carries the same weight as its international counterpart, something difficult to imagine, Fabián could be in the top three at the very least.