Louis Saha declares Kylian Mbappé's Ballon d'Or hopes 'over', names new front-runner

Real Madrid's heavy semi-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup also caused a shift in the race for the Ballon d'Or, according to retired Manchester United striker Louis Saha.

Los Blancos were on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline in the semis of the summer tournament, a result that Saha believes was the final nail in the coffin for Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe's hopes of claiming the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

Instead, Saha has tipped a PSG player who scored in that match as the front-runner for the annual award, as the former Premier League striker believes Ousmane Dembele will claim the prestigious honour.

Dembele led PSG to a treble this season, including the club's first-ever Champions League title, while scoring 35 times for the Parisians across all competitions. Dembele and PSG could add the Club World Cup to their growing trophy case on Sunday when they face Chelsea in the final, but Saha thinks Dembele has already done enough to stake his claim as the best player over the past year. 

"It seems like Kylian Mbappe’s Ballon d’Or hopes are now over," Saha said while speaking to BoyleSports, who offer the latest Club World Cup odds. "If you look at the season of Ousmane Dembele, I think it will be a scandal that he doesn't lift his trophy. There will be no explanation. 

"He has been an ambassador for football with his fair play, his hard work, his ethic both in and outside of football has been tremendous. 

"There have been critics that I don’t understand, that’s why I don’t really like the Ballon d’Or, but Dembele has answered everything."

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