Paul Pogba names his pick for the Ballon d'Or, emphasises importance of winning Champions League - 'He is ahead'

Paul Pogba has named his pick for the men's Ballon d'Or 2025. The former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder made the comments during an interview with YouTuber iShowSpeed. Pogba discussed Ousmane Dembele inspiring Paris Saint-Germain to their first-ever UEFA Champions League crown last term, and the season put together by Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.

Paul Pogba says that if his fellow Frenchman Ousmane Dembele does not win the Ballon d'Or this year, he never will.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward has enjoyed a sensational 12 months, helping his side win their first ever UEFA Champions League crown with a 5-0 win over Italian giants Inter Milan.

Dembele finished the 2024/2025 campaign with 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions, but he has faced stiff competition for football’s most coveted individual honour from Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal.

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Yamal has cemented his place as the beautiful game’s most exciting young prospect over the last year, but Pogba believes Dembele deserves to win the award after PSG’s Champions League triumph.

"It’s not about that [choosing Dembele because he is French]," said the former Juventus and Manchester United midfielder during an interview with iShowSpeed.

"It is my opinion that Ousmane Dembele will always be a bit ahead of Lamine Yamal [this year], even if he killed it this year, because he won the UEFA Champions League.

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"He was so important, scoring goals in big games and doing stuff like that.

"This is his year; if he does not win it now, he will never win it. So I will definitely go for [Dembele]. That is what I think.

"It can go both ways, though, but that is what I think. It does not really matter what I think, I think about what they are going to say."

Pogba signed a two-year deal with French side Monaco this summer.

The FIFA World Cup winner had previously missed almost two full seasons after receiving a doping ban.

Yamal helped Barcelona win La Liga last season, scoring 18 goals and providing 25 assists in 55 appearances across all competitions.

Other contenders for the 2025 Ballon d'Or include Dembele’s teammates Vitinha and Achraf Hakimi.

"Bro, it is tough," added Pogba. "Lamine for sure will be in the top three, [and then there is] Hakimi, Vitinha. Hakimi and Vitinha have been crazy.

"Kylian Mbappe, I know they have been killing him, but he is the top goalscorer in Europe. It is crazy.

"It is tough for me to say, respect though, it is going to be a tough one, but I think Dembele is ahead."

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