After a historic season and triumph in the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain has selected 9 of its players who are on the shortlist of 30 names for the prestigious "Ballon d'Or" award for 2025. However, in the team's locker room, the atmosphere is not calm, as clashes and rivalry have begun between the contenders for the most coveted individual award in football.
Initially, the group's support seemed certain for striker Ousmane Dembélé, who is one of the leading candidates. But the situation changed significantly after statements by defender Achraf Hakimi, who emphasized to Canal+:
"The Ballon d'Or is a dream I never imagined. I scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final – something Dembélé hasn't done – and for a defender that's much more difficult. I think I deserve it even more than a striker."
According to reports in the newspaper L'Equipe, the PSG press office tried to censor Hakimi's comments to maintain harmony in the team, but the Moroccan defender refused to retract his words.
Among the nine PSG players on the shortlist for the Ballon d'Or is goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is also looking to get his share of the spotlight. He posted a message on social media reminding us that he is the only goalkeeper nominated for the award. His agent, Vincenzo Raiola, told Gazzetta dello Sport:
"Without Gigio's decisive saves against Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal, PSG would never have won the Champions League."
Also on the list of PSG players competing for the Ballon d'Or are: Doué, Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Neves, Ruiz and Mendes.
Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi had previously stated that it would be a big problem if Dembélé did not win the award, but internal rivalry is growing and affecting the atmosphere within the squad.
This situation shows that after the triumph in the Champions League, the contenders for the "Ballon d'Or" at PSG are very strong and the competition for the big prize is already very hot even within the French champions themselves.
