Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Ousmane Dembélé (28) is worthy of receiving the Ballon d'Or, said his 'mentor,' PSG coach Luis Enrique (55).

PSG played Inter Milan in the 2024-2025 season UEFA Champions League (UCL) final on the 1st at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, winning decisively 5-0. This season, PSG has claimed the Ligue 1, Trophée des Champions, and Coupe de France titles, achieving a domestic treble. They also conquered Europe, completing a quadruple. According to the European football statistics company Opta, PSG is the first team to win the UCL final by a margin of more than five goals.

Edouard, a 'competitor' of Lee Kang-in at PSG, excelled with 2 goals and 1 assist. Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Myrto Uzuni also scored.

Dembélé also contributed 2 assists, while Vitinha and Barcola each recorded 1 assist, helping the team to victory.

Luis Enrique, the PSG coach, noted after the victory that Dembélé is a suitable candidate for this year's Ballon d'Or.

The Ballon d'Or is awarded to the world's best football player. It has been hosted by French football magazine France Football since 1956 and is given annually to the player who has performed the best. The winner is determined by voting from journalists from various countries.

The 28-year-old French national team player Dembélé has scored 25 goals this season, playing a pivotal role in PSG's attack.

The day before the final, when asked whether defeating Inter Milan would increase his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or, Dembélé responded, "Of course, the Ballon d'Or is on my mind, but the most important thing as a PSG player right now is to bring a trophy for the team," avoiding a direct answer.

After PSG's victory was secure, the same question was posed to Coach Enrique. He said, "If it were up to me, I would give the Ballon d'Or to Dembélé," before explaining, "He excelled in both defense and offense. I firmly believe he deserves to win. Dembélé's performance in today's final was exceptional; he didn't give the defense a moment to breathe."

Meanwhile, Lee Kang-in, who was named on the bench that day, awaited his call from Coach Luis Enrique.

However, he ultimately did not get to play. PSG exhausted all five of their substitution cards in the 39th minute of the second half, but Lee's name was not called.

Lee Kang-in's presence has significantly decreased in the second half of this season. Rumors of a transfer, suggesting he may leave in search of playing time, are gaining momentum.

In the midst of this, there were analyses suggesting that Lee's chances of playing in the crucial UCL final were low, and those predictions turned out to be correct.

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