Thierry Henry Clarifies Who Truly Deserves the Ballon d’Or

On September 22, Paris will host the 68th edition of the Ballon d’Or ceremony. As the date approaches, many in the soccer world are sharing their predictions for the winner.

Thierry Henry recently expressed his views on the Ballon d’Or during CBS Sports’ Champions League coverage. The football legend talked about the award alongside analysts Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards.

Carragher mentioned he had “six candidates” for the award, including Raphinha, Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah, Lamine Yamal, and Achraf Hakimi. However, Henry had a different perspective, stating that Ousmane Dembele stood out as the best choice.

Henry stated, “I don’t even need to talk,” emphasizing that he believes Dembele is far ahead of the other contenders. “You just have to look at the picture. We can talk about many players, but for me, he will win it.

Dembele missed PSG’s Champions League opener against Atalanta due to an injury sustained while on international duty with France earlier this month. Nevertheless, his impressive season makes him a top candidate to follow Rodri as the world’s best player.

Dembele’s 2024-25 season by the numbers

The 2024-25 season was Ousmane Dembele’s best as a professional. The PSG winger scored 21 goals in Ligue 1, added eight more in the Champions League, and contributed six goals in the Club World Cup, Coupe de France, and Trophee des Champions.

In total, he ended the season with 35 goals in 53 matches across all competitions. Along with his 16 assists, Dembele had a hand in 51 goals — averaging almost one goal involvement per game, a feat that places him among the top players globally.

His team’s success only solidified his case. Dembele played a crucial role in PSG’s historic treble, winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and — for the first time in the club’s history — the Champions League. He also helped lead the team to the Club World Cup final, underlining his importance as one of Luis Enrique’s key players.