Ousmane Dembélé addresses negative aspect of life as a Ballon d’Or winner

Ousmane Dembélé, the 29-year-old France international, is among the favorites to retain his Ballon d’Or trophy. Last year, he secured the award after leading Paris Saint-Germain to their first-ever UEFA Champions League title. Dembélé's outstanding performance was instrumental in PSG's success, as they repeated as champions in May. As a result, he is a strong contender to win the award again this month, though he faces increased competition.

Recently, Dembélé has been in the spotlight for negative reasons. His performances for the French national team during the international break have drawn significant criticism, particularly in France. However, the PSG forward's captain, Zinédine Zidane, has come to his defense. Zidane has praised Dembélé's leadership and ability to captain Les Bleus during Kylian Mbappé's absence due to injury.

In an interview with L’Équipe, Dembélé addressed the increased scrutiny that comes with being a Ballon d’Or winner. He acknowledged that there will always be criticism in football, but emphasized that the scrutiny is even greater when a player has won the prestigious award. Dembélé stated that he does not find the additional criticism bothersome, as he must consistently perform at a high level to avoid being judged harshly.

"Since I won the Ballon d'Or, there is more criticism," he told the publication earlier this month. "The trophy doesn't immunize you; quite the contrary. You have to be good in every match, otherwise they say 'Oh, look!'".