Paris was painted in gold on Monday night as Ousmane Dembele claimed the 2025 Ballon d’Or, becoming only the sixth Frenchman in history to secure soccer’s most prestigious individual honor. Yet, beyond the glitz of the Theatre du Chatelet ceremony, what stole the headlines was not just the trophy itself, but the wave of congratulatory messages that poured in from legends across the soccer world. Among them were Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, and Luis Suarez—figures who defined an era at Barcelona. But of all the words sent to him that night, one message touched Dembele more deeply than the rest.
The Ballon d’Or vote itself was a landslide. Dembele finished first with 1,380 votes, ahead of Barcelona’s teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal, who came second, and PSG teammate Vitinha, who rounded out the podium. His victory margin of 321 points confirmed just how dominant his season had been. The Frenchman described the award as a “dream come true” and used his acceptance speech to thank both Barcelona and PSG for shaping him into the player he is today.
In the hours after lifting the prestigious award, the Frenchman was flooded with admiration from both past and present teammates. In an exclusive with France Football, the PSG forward explained: “The message that really stood out to me? It was from Lionel Messi. He sent me a direct message.
“There was Xavi Hernandez [his former coach at Barcelona], and a lot of other Barca alumni. Luis Suarez… they were happy for me. And the PSG guys? They all messaged me—Achraf [Hakimi], the coach [Luis Enrique], Luis Campos, everyone“, he added.
Ousmane Dembele celebrates with Lionel Messi as he scores a goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Barcelona and Chelsea FC on March 14, 2018.
It was a moment that highlighted how far the 28-year-old star had come, from the injury setbacks that haunted his days at Barcelona to finally standing at the top of the world. For a player once seen as unfulfilled potential, to receive immediate praise from the man he still calls the “greatest of all time” made the victory even sweeter.
Messi’s touch of class
The most powerful exchange came from the Argentine legend himself. Dembele revealed that Messi was the very first to send him a personal congratulations. On Instagram, Messi had already left a heartfelt public comment: “What great achievement! Congratulations, I’m so happy for you. You truly deserve it.”
For Dembele, the gesture went far beyond words on a screen. It was a reminder of the bond they built during their shared years in Barcelona’s dressing room from 2017 to 2021. Those seasons saw them win two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, and a Spanish Super Cup, but also endure challenges as Dembele battled recurring injuries.
Earlier this year, the French forward admitted just how important Messi’s guidance had been: “He told me to be serious if I wanted to achieve my dreams. After that, I started watching him closely and learning from everything he did on the pitch.” That advice would ultimately lay the foundation for Dembele’s rise to this career-defining moment.
