Messi Sends Heartfelt Message to Dembele after 2025 Ballon d’Or Triumph
- Lionel Messi took to social media to send a heartwarming message to Ousmane Dembele after winning the 2025 Ballon d'Or
- The Frenchman was overcome with emotion after edging out Lamine Yamal to claim the 2025 Ballon d’Or
- The 28-year-old scored 35 goals and provided 14 assists in 53 matches as PSG completed a historic treble
Inter Miami player Lionel Messi has congratulated Ousmane Dembele on winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or. The French winger beat Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal by a wide margin, according to reports.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner took to social media to celebrate his former Barcelona teammate, commenting on Dembele’s Instagram post of him lifting the Golden Ball on Monday night.
Source: Getty Images
Dembélé enjoyed a remarkable 2024/25 season, scoring 35 goals in 53 games across all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain, spearheading their first-ever Champions League triumph alongside Ligue 1 and Coupe de France victories.
He has now succeeded Manchester City’s Rodri as the award’s holder and is the sixth Frenchman in history to win the Ballon d’Or, joining legends Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema.
Messi congratulates Dembele after Ballon d’Or win
Messi congratulated Dembélé on his Ballon d’Or triumph last night, leaving a message on social media that read:
“Grande Ous. Congratulations, I am so happy for you. You deserve it,” beneath the Frenchman’s Instagram post.
Check out Messi's post below:
In response, Dembele used his Ballon d’Or acceptance speech to thank Messi personally, acknowledging that he had “learned so much from him” during their years together at Barcelona.
Per GOAL, Messi and Dembélé shared four seasons together at Barcelona after the French winger joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for a reported £135.5 million.
During their time as teammates, Dembélé featured alongside Messi in 95 matches, winning back-to-back La Liga titles in 2018 and 2019, as well as the Copa del Rey in 2018.
Source: Getty Images
Although he spent six years at the Nou Camp, Dembélé struggled to fully reach his potential and eventually returned to France in the summer of 2023, signing for PSG.
Under Luis Enrique, the 28-year-old flourished, netting 43 goals and registering 32 assists in 99 appearances across all competitions to date.
Following Kylian Mbappé’s departure to Real Madrid last summer, Dembélé stepped into a more central role for PSG despite being naturally a winger.
Currently sidelined through injury, he missed Monday’s rescheduled clash with Marseille, where the Ligue 1 champions slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat.
Sportswear company, Adidas, congratulates Dembele:
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s 18-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal finished second in the Ballon d’Or rankings but did not go home empty-handed.
He claimed the Kopa Trophy for the best Under-21 player for the second straight year, confirming his status as the brightest young star in football.
PSG’s Vitinha completed the podium in third place, with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah finishing fourth.
Last year’s winner, Manchester City midfielder Rodri, failed to make the shortlist this time around after an injury-hit campaign.
Yamal's first reaction after Dembélé's victory emerges
In a separate report, YEN.com.gh highlighted how Lamine Yamal’s first reaction after missing out on the 2025 Ballon d’Or quickly caught the attention of fans.
A circulating clip showed the teenager smiling, applauding Dembélé, and sharing a heartfelt embrace with the Frenchman as chants filled the Théâtre du Châtelet.
Source: YEN.com.gh
