Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konaté (26) is adamant PSG striker Ousmane Dembélé (28) would be a worthy Ballon d’Or winner after an all-conquering campaign with Luis Enrique’s Les Parisiens. Dembélé won the Champions League for the first time in his career after a restless, eye-catching performance against Inter Milan in the final. The former Rennes Academy product notably logged two assists against the Nerazzurri.
Konaté took centre-stage in Stuttgart this Wednesday afternoon as he filled in for Kylian Mbappé in France’s press conference on the eve of Les Bleus‘ Nations League semi-final against Spain. The game has been touted as a decisive moment for the attribution of the Ballon d’Or, with Spain’s Lamine Yamal opposite France’s Dembélé. The Liverpool centre-back has rebuffed this stance. When asked who would be the most deserving Ballon d’Or recipient, Konaté was adamant it should go to his France teammate.
“We talk about Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé… But no one talks about Ousmane Dembélé“, Konaté said in his press conference. “He has delivered an exceptional season. I have honestly no other words to describe it. Nobody expected it. I’m the happiest man for him. In all honesty, the most deserving Ballon d’Or winner is Ousmane Dembélé.”
GFFN | Bastien Cheval
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