In a shocking twist of fate, Leeds United’s Raphinha narrowly missed out on the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, losing to Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain, who also has ties to Elland Road.
Despite an outstanding season at Barcelona with a La Liga title and over 60 goals and assists, Raphinha only managed to secure fifth place at the highly anticipated awards ceremony in Paris. Legends like Cafu and Thierry Henry had championed Raphinha as a deserving winner, but it was Dembele who ultimately claimed the coveted prize, showcasing his stellar performances in PSG’s victories in the Champions League and Ligue 1.
Leeds supporters have fond memories of Raphinha for his impressive 27 goals and assists during his time at Elland Road. Conversely, Dembele is known to be a huge fan of Leeds, a sentiment shared by Illan Meslier.
The story of Dembele’s admiration for Leeds was further emphasized when he specifically requested Patrick Bamford’s shirt. During Leeds’ successful 2021 season, Bamford, a standout player under Marcelo Bielsa, revealed that Dembele, who played alongside Meslier for the U21 France team, asked for signed shirts from both Bamford and Kalvin Phillips due to his passionate support for the club.
Dembele’s victory at the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony was truly remarkable, as he surpassed Lamine Yamal and Vitinha of PSG to claim the prestigious award. Noteworthy mentions from the top 10 list included the rising star Yamal, Vitinha’s impressive resurgence after a challenging loan spell at Wolves, and Arsenal’s revered Mo Salah. The list also showcased talents such as Kylian Mbappe, Cole Palmer, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Nuno Mendes, reflecting the plethora of diverse talents celebrated in the world of football.
