Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Ousmane Dembele has emerged as the favourite to win his first Ballon d’Or when the ceremony takes place on Monday night.
Dembele, 28, provided 43 goal contributions in 44 Ligue 1 and Champions League games last season, as PSG won both competitions as part of a historic treble that also included the Coupe de France.
However, Dembele will be on duty for PSG in their Ligue 1 game with Marseille on Monday night, after the fixture was pushed back from Sunday due to heavy rain and thunderstorms in the south of France.
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe – who is also nominated for the award – has backed his France international teammate to win the prize in Paris, saying: “If it were up to me, I’d deliver it to his house.”
Barcelona’s teenage superstar Lamine Yamal is Dembele’s closest competition, according to Sky Sports.
The 18-year-old forward was instrumental in his side’s domestic double, notching 18 goals and 25 assists across all competitions, as Barcelona won LaLiga and the Copa del Rey.
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The Spain Euro 2024 winner represents Barcelona’s best chance at lifting the award for a record 13th time, although teammate Raphinha is also nominated.
Treble winners PSG provide the bulk of the 30 nominees, with nine of Luis Enrique’s all-conquering side on the shortlist, including Portugal’s Nations League-winning trio of Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, and Joao Neves.
The Premier League’s best challenge for this year’s award comes from Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian forward, who won the PFA men’s player of the year prize, was last season’s top Premier League scorer with 29 goals, and he also provided the most assists (18) to help Liverpool win the title.
Last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Rodri was not nominated as the Manchester City midfielder missed most of last season recovering from a knee injury.
There are five British nominees up for the top prize this year, with England’s Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, and Harry Kane joined by Scotland’s Scott McTominay on the shortlist.
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