Ousmane Dembélé has been a key figure for Paris Saint-Germain in their treble-winning 2024–25 campaign, but his absence from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami has become a major talking point. Head coach Luis Enrique left Dembélé out of the starting lineup due to a technical decision, despite his pivotal role throughout the season[1]. PSG remains a strong favorite in the tournament, having topped Group B and advanced to face Inter Miami, making Dembélé’s exclusion all the more surprising[1].
Dembélé’s form during the 2024–25 season has been exceptional, highlighted by a standout performance in the Champions League, where he scored 33 goals in 49 games and was named Champions League Player of the Season[5]. His play in a new false nine role under Luis Enrique received widespread praise, helping PSG clinch their first-ever UCL title[5]. His absence from the Club World Cup, however, appears rooted in rotational or technical management rather than injury or disciplinary action.
Recent updates from July 2025 further confirm Dembélé’s significance, with teammates and pundits regarding him as a 2025 Ballon d’Or frontrunner[7]. Lucas Hernandez, his PSG and France teammate, publicly backed Dembélé for the prestigious award, citing his consistent excellence throughout the campaign[7].
There were also recent injury concerns. Dembélé suffered a quadriceps lesion during the Nations League with France, which led to him training separately and missing group stage matches in the Club World Cup. Despite traveling with the squad to Los Angeles, he was only spotted running around the pitch rather than joining full team training. An updated timeline on his return is expected soon, but until he is fully fit, PSG is expected to rely on Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, and Goncalo Ramos in the attack[7].
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