Ousmane Dembélé is zondag uitgeroepen tot beste speler in de Champions League. De aanvaller was dit seizoen de grote uitblinker bij eindwinnaar Paris Saint-Germain. Denzel Dumfries ontbreekt in het Elftal van het Jaar.
De 28-jarige Dembélé scoorde deze jaargang acht keer in vijftien Champions League-duels en gaf ook nog zes assists. In de met 5-0 gewonnen finale van zaterdag tegen Internazionale bereidde hij twee doelpunten voor.
Slechts twee spelers waren dit seizoen waardevoller voor hun club in de Champions League. Dat zijn Raphinha van FC Barcelona (13 goals en 9 assists) en Serhou Guirassy van Borussia Dortmund (13 goals en 4 assists).
Voor Dembélé is de uitverkiezing sportieve revanche. De Franse aanvaller werd altijd gezien als een groot talent, maar dat kwam er in zijn tijd bij FC Barcelona (2017-2023) niet helemaal uit. Volgens Spaanse media kampte hij in Catalonië met een gameverslaving.
Ook in zijn debuutseizoen bij PSG kon Dembélé zich niet onderscheiden, maar deze jaargang is de aanvaller helemaal opgebloeid. In de Franse competitie scoorde hij maar liefst 21 keer, waarmee hij een grote bijdrage had aan een nieuwe landstitel van PSG.
Geen Dumfries in Elftal van het Jaar
Dembélé has logically also earned a spot in the Champions League Team of the Year, but surprisingly, Dumfries’ name is missing. Achraf Hakimi from PSG is preferred by a panel of football experts as the right-back.
Dumfries scored twice and provided two assists against FC Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals, proving decisive for his club Internazionale in reaching the final.
There is no place for a Dutch player in the team at all. Final winner PSG has no fewer than seven players in the team: goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, defenders Hakimi, Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes, midfielder Vitinha and attackers Dembélé and Désiré Doué.
The latter was the big man in the final on Saturday by scoring twice, making him the third teenager ever to score in the Champions League final. Finalist Internazionale has only one selection with Alessandro Bastoni.
Ousmane Dembélé has been named the best player in the Champions League on Sunday. The attacker was the star player for eventual winner Paris Saint-Germain this season. Denzel Dumfries is missing from the Team of the Year.
The 28-year-old Dembélé scored eight times in fifteen Champions League matches this year and also provided six assists. In Saturday’s 5-0 final victory against Internazionale, he set up two goals.
Only two players were more valuable to their club in the Champions League this season. Those are Raphinha of FC Barcelona (13 goals and 9 assists) and Serhou Guirassy of Borussia Dortmund (13 goals and 4 assists).
For Dembélé, the election is a sporting revenge. The French attacker has always been seen as a great talent, but that did not fully materialize during his time at FC Barcelona (2017-2023). According to Spanish media, he struggled with a game addiction in Catalonia.
Also in his debut season at PSG, Dembélé could not distinguish himself, but this year the attacker has fully blossomed. In the French league, he scored no less than 21 times, which made a major contribution to a new national title for PSG.
No Dumfries in Team of the Year
Dembélé also logically has a place in the Champions League Team of the Year, but surprisingly Dumfries’ name is missing. Achraf Hakimi from PSG is preferred by a panel of football experts as right-back.
Dumfries scored twice and provided two assists against FC Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals, which was decisive for his club Internazionale in reaching the final.
There is no place for a Dutch player in the team at all. Final winner PSG has no fewer than seven players in the team: goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, defenders Hakimi, Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes, midfielder Vitinha and attackers Dembélé and Désiré Doué.
The latter was the big man in the final on Saturday by scoring twice, making him the third teenager ever to score in the Champions League final. Finalist Internazionale has only one selection with Alessandro Bastoni.