Dembélé Achieves What Messi and Ronaldo Never Did

For well over a decade, the landscape of individual football honours was dominated almost exclusively by two towering figures: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Between them, they collected Ballons d’Or, FIFA Best awards, and countless accolades, shaping an era that many believed would be impossible to replicate. Yet, as both legends edge towards the twilight of their illustrious careers, a new name has risen decisively to the summit of world football—Ousmane Dembélé.

The year 2025 has proved to be nothing short of extraordinary for the French winger. Having enjoyed the most prolific and influential season of his career with Paris Saint-Germain, Dembélé has swept aside the competition on both the pitch and the awards stage. His crowning achievement came on Sunday night in Dubai, where he was named Globe Soccer Awards’ Best Men’s Player, completing a historic treble of individual honours that even Messi and Ronaldo never achieved in a single calendar year.

Dembélé is now the only footballer in history to win the Ballon d’Or, FIFA Best Men’s Player, and Globe Soccer Best Player awards in the same year. While Messi (eight Ballons d’Or) and Ronaldo (five) dominated individual recognition across eras, neither managed to unite all three of these prestigious titles within one season.

Founded in 2010, the Globe Soccer Awards employ a two-stage selection process. The first phase is driven by global fan voting, followed by a final decision made by a distinguished jury comprising journalists, coaches, agents, and former players. Emerging victorious in such a competitive and multifaceted system underscores the breadth of Dembélé’s impact.

On the pitch, his numbers speak volumes. During the 2024–25 season, Dembélé registered 35 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, playing a pivotal role in PSG’s historic campaign. The Parisian club lifted six trophies, including Ligue 1, the French Cup, and—most notably—their first-ever UEFA Champions League title. In doing so, Dembélé outshone elite contemporaries such as Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Vitinha.

Reflecting on his achievements, Dembélé remained characteristically humble:
“I want to thank everyone who voted for me. I’m grateful to my teammates, the staff, the chairman, sporting director Luís Campos, and coach Luis Enrique. Individual awards are special, but football will always be about the team first.”

Ousmane Dembélé’s Major Individual Awards in 2025 :

2025 Globe Soccer Awards – Selected Winners :

In a sport defined by eras, 2025 will be remembered as the year Ousmane Dembélé did what once seemed impossible—stepping beyond the shadows of Messi and Ronaldo to carve out a singular place in football history.