Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele has been crowned Ligue 1 Player of the Year at the UNFP Trophies ceremony in Paris, overcoming teammate Vitinha and Marseille winger Mason Greenwood despite a severely limited number of appearances in the French top flight this season.
Controversial Selection
Dembele, who won the Ballon d'Or last year, has started only nine league games this campaign, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists. The 28-year-old saved his best performances for the Champions League, yet his peers deemed him worthy of retaining the individual accolade. The decision has sparked debate among French football fans and media, who question how a player with fewer than 1,000 minutes in Ligue 1 could win the division's top prize.
'Perceptions have changed because I'm the reigning Ballon d'Or winner,' Dembele said. 'And yes, I've had quite a few physical setbacks. I haven't had a lot of playing time, but every time I've been on the pitch, I've tried to be there for the team. That was the case against Marseille and against Lille, where I tried to help the team. I don't know if my time counts double, but I'm happy that the players voted for me.'
Greenwood's Strong Campaign
Dembele beat Greenwood, who attended the awards with partner Harriet Robson. The Marseille forward scored 16 Ligue 1 goals this season, six more than Dembele, but played over 1,300 more minutes. Greenwood joined Marseille in summer 2024 for £30 million after a loan at Getafe, following his departure from Manchester United. His move came after he was arrested in January 2022 and charged with attempted rape, assault, and controlling and coercive behaviour, though charges were later dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service due to withdrawal of key witnesses and new evidence. Greenwood made 129 appearances and scored 35 goals for United's first team.
Vitinha's Praise
Dembele also edged out PSG midfielder Vitinha, who has been a key figure in the team's midfield as they close in on another Ligue 1 title and a second consecutive Champions League final. Dembele paid tribute to Vitinha, joking that the Portuguese midfielder had instructed him to do so, and to manager Luis Enrique. 'I wanted to thank my whole family, the staff, the president, the coach Luis Enrique. I'm lucky to have a coach like that; he's exceptional. And Vitinha too, because he asked me to pay him a little tribute. He's an exceptional teammate, I think he deserved this trophy, but with a goal,' Dembele said. Vitinha responded: 'He deserved it. He's the Ballon d'Or winner, he's the best player in our league. Get things done quickly, otherwise he [Dembele] will sweat too much. It could be a pain for him.'
