Luis Enrique backs PSG star for Ballon d’Or after European glory

Ousmane Dembele, who has scored 33 times in all competitions this season, has starred for PSG throughout their campaign

Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique has backed Ousmane Dembele to win the Ballon d’Or after he helped inspire the French club’s maiden Champions League success.

Dembele did not score in Saturday’s 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan but he set up two goals and produced a superb flick in the build up to PSG’s third.

The former Barcelona attacker has 33 goals in all competitions this campaign, with 22 of them coming in this calendar year to help the Parisians add the Champions League to Ligue 1 and Coupe de France titles.

Luis Enrique dropped Dembele in October for a defeat away to Arsenal and the forward was sent off a month later at Bayern Munich, but he responded supremely to achieve his best scoring season to date and become favourite with bookmakers for the Ballon d’Or.

While Dembele was happy to play down the accolade ahead of Saturday’s match, his manager championed the 28-year-old following a one-sided final.

“I would like to say that everyone is talking about the Ballon d’Or but I would give it to Ousmane Dembele,” Enrique told a press conference.

“If we think about how he defended, he showed just what he was made of. He was a leader, he was humble, he got back down and defended. I think without a shadow of doubt, he deserves this.

Ousmane Dembele (left) did not score but was excellent throughout (PA)

“Not only for the goals that he scored but also for the pressing we saw. We have seen such a season from him and he was exceptional in this final.”

Dembele will get the chance to further press his claim later this month when PSG take part in the Club World Cup in America.

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Even though Enrique’s team will get hardly any rest, he plans to add the continental cup to their Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions successes.

Enrique added: “I think it is an incredible competition. Maybe not now it’s a first edition, but it will become an incredibly important title to win.

“I think the fact the best teams in the world are going to meet every four years and not with nations teams but clubs is incredible.

“We want to finish the season in style and I guess it would be the cherry on the cake. This would be the fifth trophy of the season if we are able to pull it off.”

Two-goal hero Desire Doue is one of several young starlets at PSG and Enrique sent an ominous warning to the rest of Europe.

Desire Doue was a standout player in the final (PA)

The Spaniard said: “My first day at the PSG campus when I had my first press conference and my French was even worse than it is today, I said the ultimate goal for me and us was to fill the trophy cabinet.

“I said the only trophy that was missing was the Champions League and here we are.

“We have ticked that box, we were ambitious and we are going to continue to conquer the footballing world.”

PA