While Florian Thauvin was favorite to win the player of the year title, it was ultimately Ousmane Dembélé who retained the trophy. The Paris Saint-Germain striker, author of 20 matches, 10 goals and 6 assists, was one of the five named with Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, Mason Greenwood and Florian Thauvin and therefore won the bet, despite less playing time in the first part of the season. And the 2026 winner was keen to respond to the criticism after winning the prize.
“Perceptions have changed because I am the reigning Ballon d’Or. And yes, I had a lot of physical problems. I didn’t have a lot of playing time, but every time I was on the pitch, I tried to respond. This was the case against Marseille or Lille where I tried to help the team. I don’t know if my time counts double, but I’m happy that the players voted for me.”he said in the mixed zone.
