Ballon d’Or 2025: French defender, Kounde snubs Mbappe, Dembele, picks favourite

French defender Jules Kounde has caused a stir by snubbing his countrymen Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele in favor of his Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal as his favorite to win the Ballon d'Or in 2025. The Ballon d'Or ceremony is set to take place in Paris on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet.

Kounde believes that Yamal, who had an impressive season with Barcelona, deserves the prestigious award for his outstanding performances for both club and country in 2025. The French Football magazine, France Football, organizes the award and recently released a list of players who have excelled in the past year.

Kounde praised Yamal's contributions on and off the field, highlighting his goal-scoring prowess and teamwork. Yamal scored 18 goals and provided 25 assists in 55 games across competitions for Barcelona, helping the team secure multiple trophies.