Will Chelsea Build on Club World Cup Victory for Premier League Success?
In light of their recent triumph in the Club World Cup, the question arises: can Chelsea capitalize on this achievement to claim the Premier League title? Don Hutchison shares his skepticism regarding Chelsea’s ability to transform this success into domestic glory.
As it stands, Ousmane Dembélé is poised to claim the prestigious Ballon d’Or award this year. The Paris Saint-Germain forward netted 21 goals and provided six assists during the Ligue 1 season, helping PSG secure the league title with a 19-point margin. Additionally, he contributed eight goals and six assists in the Champions League, culminating in a decisive victory in the final by five goals.
Dembélé’s rise as a central forward has correlated with PSG’s remarkable performance in 2025, showcasing both his impressive statistics and the vital role he played in elevating the team’s status. Voters tend to favor individuals with both trophies and strong narratives to back their candidacy, and Dembélé possesses both, highlighting his significance in PSG’s dominance.
Could the recent Club World Cup final result—where Chelsea triumphed over PSG with a 3-0 score—alter the ballot? Perhaps some might advocate for Cole Palmer to receive consideration instead. The prestigious voting is unpredictable, but Dembélé remains the overwhelming favorite at this point.
An even more intriguing dilemma is around whom the award should go to. Back in March, an article I penned detailed how Dembélé emerged as the world’s finest player after PSG defeated Liverpool in a tense Champions League penalty shootout. However, the Ballon d’Or’s judging period extends from August to July, meaning we need to evaluate performances over the entire 2024-25 season.
Assessing the Entire Season
Although PSG continues to be viewed as the top team globally, the narrative surrounding this season has evolved significantly. By December 1 of last year, PSG’s form was troubling, having won only once, along with a draw and three losses from their initial Champions League matches, scoring three goals while conceding five. However, they revamped their approach and achieved ten victories out of their following twelve fixtures, scoring 35 while allowing just nine goals.
Yet, the shoddy start led to a challenging first knockout round against Liverpool. Their second leg at Anfield is remembered as a standout match, only held from being a classic due to narrow margins.
Had Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah scored in the 79th minute instead of hitting the post, a different narrative would likely have unfolded. Such moments could have led to a very different season for Dembélé and PSG. Until that match, few were discussing Dembélé in the context of the Ballon d’Or.
The best measure of player performance remains the monthly team selections from European Sports Media. This voting system, operational since 1995, provides a broader perspective of top performers, while Ballon d’Or points can skew toward trophy-winning players.
For instance, Lionel Messi has made the team 88 times, while Cristiano Ronaldo has been included 51 times; no others are close to those figures. This season, only one PSG player, Achraf Hakimi, achieved team of the month selection—highlighting the disparity in performances.
As the season progressed, Liverpool’s narrative took a turn for the worse. They had dominated early in the Premier League and Champions League but ended up facing PSG in a challenging knockout stage, ultimately derailing their campaign significantly.
Potential Ballon d’Or Candidates
Focusing solely on input metrics like goals and assists highlights Mohamed Salah’s remarkable season, where he amassed an impressive 54 goals and assists combined, significantly outpacing other competitors.
Nevertheless, there are concerns regarding the fairness of counting penalties equally with other goals and the nature of assists generating a skewed assessment.
After adjusting for factors such as expected goal contributions, Kylian Mbappé rises to the top. Yet, there are considerations about the overall impact of these players when Champions League performances are included.
As of now, focus remains on key players: Dembélé, Salah, Raphinha, and Hakimi each present compelling cases for why they could be the rightful Ballon d’Or recipients. The choice reflects how one interprets the award’s criteria.
In conclusion, based on individual merit and impact on their respective teams, I would rank the following players for the Ballon d’Or:
- Ousmane Dembélé, PSG
- Mohamed Salah, Liverpool
- Raphinha, Barcelona
- Achraf Hakimi, PSG
- Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool
- Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
- Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona
- Harry Kane, Bayern Munich
- Pedri, Barcelona
- Julián Álvarez, Atletico Madrid
Enjoy the offseason—preseason activities commenced last week!
