"I hope he will win the Ballon d'Or" - Sergio Busquets backs former Barcelona teammate to win prestigious award this year

Inter Miami star Sergio Busquets has tipped former Barcelona teammate Ousmane Dembele to win the Ballon d'Or this year. The Frenchman has been nominated for the coveted award and is expected to be one of the main contenders for it.

Ousmane Dembele had a stellar 2024-25 season, winning the international treble with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The Frenchman recorded 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 outings across competitions, becoming key to PSG's triumph. Multiple fans and pundits have backed him to win the Ballon d'Or this year after he was named among the 30 nominees by France Football.

In an interview with beIN Sports Thailand (h/t Barca Universal), Sergio Busquets tipped Ousmane Dembele to win the Ballon d'Or this year. He said:

"I hope Ousmane Dembele will win the Ballon d'Or. He has been much better than the others this year and more consistent. There are also players from Barça who deserve it too, but I don't know what those who vote will decide. May the best win."

Sergio Busquets has shared the pitch with Ousmane Dembele in 159 games across competitions during their time at Barcelona, recording one joint goal participation. The French superstar left the Camp Nou to join PSG in the summer of 2023, while Busquets joined Inter Miami in the same summer.

When Ballon d'Or contender Ousmane Dembele opened up about what he learnt from Lionel Messi at Barcelona

In a recent interview with FourFourTwo (h/t GOAL), Ousmane Dembele shared his experience of playing alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona. The Ballon d'Or favorite said:

"I had a very good relationship with Messi from the very first day. My locker was right next to his, and he gave a lot of advice to me. He was someone who instinctively knew what you wanted. He told me that I’d have to be serious if I wanted to achieve my dreams – after that, I watched and learned from what he did on the pitch."

He continued:

"Whether he played as a number 10 or number nine, his positioning was exceptional, the way he seemed to make himself invisible on the pitch. Sometimes you don’t seem to see him for about four or five minutes, then as soon as he gets the ball, he instinctively knows what to do."

Ousmane Dembele shared the pitch with Lionel Messi 95 times in Barcelona, recording 15 joint-goal participations. The legendary Argentine holds the record for winning the most Ballon d'Or awards in history, with eight to his name. Dembele will hope to win his first this year, although he may face competition from the likes of Lamine Yamal, Vitinha, and Raphinha. Interestingly, Yamal is often tipped as Messi's successor at his former club.

About the author

Pratyasha is a Pop Culture and a European Football writer for Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and has over 3 years of experience in the pop culture industry. Throughout her career, Pratyasha has always emphasized detailed background checks, and believes in verifying all information regardless of how correct it may seem.

Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his dedication and humility. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray's cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she's a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone.

When Pratyasha's off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.

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Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar