For many in France, it was a night of glory. But in Spain, controversy broke out as one of Europe’s biggest clubs found itself accused of overstepping boundaries and celebrating in the wrong direction. Barcelona’s reaction to Ousmane Dembele’s Ballon d’Or win has left many fans furious, with some accusing the club of disrespecting its very own wonderkid, Lamine Yamal.
Dembele’s career has been anything but straightforward. Written off by many during his frustrating spell at Camp Nou, the Frenchman’s time in Catalonia was plagued by inconsistency and injuries. Yet, his decision to join Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 transformed him into the player many always believed he could become.
Under Luis Enrique’s guidance, Dembele reinvented himself as a centre-forward, scoring 35 goals across all competitions in the 2024-25 campaign. He was the difference-maker as PSG swept to four trophies, including their long-awaited first UEFA Champions League crown.
That dominance was rewarded in Paris on Monday night, where the Frenchman was crowned the winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or, beating out Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and PSG teammate Vitinha.
Taking the stage at the Theatre du Chatelet, a visibly emotional Dembele looked back on his journey. “Thank you to all the clubs I’ve played for—Stade Rennes, Borussia Dortmund, and the club I always dreamed of playing for, Barcelona,” he said. The forward went further, crediting his development at Camp Nou as invaluable. “I learned so much there, playing alongside players like Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta. It was a great learning experience. I am so happy.”
Bitter pill for Barcelona
While Dembele’s win was celebrated in Paris and beyond, the result was bittersweet for Barcelona. Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old prodigy many believed was destined to become the youngest Ballon d’Or winner in history, finished second despite leading the Catalan club to a domestic treble.
Even Dembele himself acknowledged Yamal’s brilliance, telling reporters afterward: “We’ve seen Lamine Yamal play all season, he’s an extraordinary player with a lot of maturity. If the planets align, he’s going to win a lot of trophies like the Ballon d’Or.” Yet it wasn’t Yamal’s near miss that stirred up debate—it was Barcelona’s behavior after the ceremony.
Lamine Yamal wins 2025 Kopa Trophy (Best Men’s Young Talent/Player of the Year) at the 69th Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.
The controversial post
Soon after Ronaldinho presented the Ballon d’Or to Dembele, Barcelona’s official social media accounts congratulated their former player. Alongside footage of Dembele and Aitana Bonmatí—who was crowned the world’s best women’s player—the club posted: “Ballon d’Or winners.”
What should have been a simple nod of recognition spiraled into backlash. Many fans accused Barcelona of trying to claim a player who had left them behind. One fan on X (formerly Twitter) fumed: “He’s not your player. Don’t post him.” Another added: “Keep working so hard that your Ex appreciates and celebrates your success”.
Others accused the Catalan giants of undermining Yamal by highlighting Dembele instead of focusing on their own stars. Some rival fans even contrasted the Blaugrana’s move with Real Madrid, suggesting Los Blancos would have shown “class” in the same situation.
