Dembele receives legendary praise from Messi

Argentine star Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami player, was keen to congratulate his former Barcelona teammate, Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, after he won the 2025 Ballon d'Or award during the ceremony held Monday evening in the French capital, Paris. Messi posted a message of support for Dembélé on Instagram, writing: "Incredible, Ousmane!!! Congratulations, I'm so happy for you, you deserve it." Dembélé received the prestigious award from France Football magazine after an exceptional season in which he led Paris Saint-Germain to a historic treble: the French League, the French Cup, and the Champions League, beating young star Lamine Yamal, who finished second. Messi's congratulations to the record-holder for the Ballon d'Or (eight times) are testament to the high esteem in which Dembélé is held, especially by one of the game's most prominent legends, whom he previously played alongside for several seasons at Barcelona. This is the eighth time a French player has won the award, following Michel Platini (three times), Raymond Kopa, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema. With this, the French national team tied with Argentina as the country with the most Ballon d'Or wins, with eight awards each.