Dembele speaks highly of the Ballon d'Or ahead of the big clash with Arsenal

Before the Champions League final with Arsenal, Ousmane Dembele asserts that his hunger for victory remains unchanged, even though he is seen as a strong candidate for the Ballon d'Or this year.

On the eve of the Champions League final in Budapest, Ousmane Dembele became the center of attention as he is regarded as the leading candidate for the Ballon d'Or. However, the French star shows he is not swayed by individual accolades or European media hype. Instead, Dembele emphasizes that his full focus remains on PSG and the Champions League trophy.

“I still have the same burning desire for titles, to win championships with this club, the coaching staff, and the entire team,” Dembele shared before the final against Arsenal. Notably, PSG enters the match with a major fitness advantage, having had a full week more rest than Arsenal. This has significantly boosted confidence within the French side ahead of the showdown in Budapest.

Dembele also denies that praise or the chance to win the Ballon d'Or has altered his playing style. The 29-year-old says he only feels a greater sense of responsibility since moving to PSG, especially in big games this season. According to Dembele, all individual honors must come second to team success.

“That really doesn’t change who I am or how I play. I have more responsibility since arriving at PSG”, the French international added. “I always try to perform well on the pitch, in both big and small matches. Individual awards get a lot of attention, but they come after the team.”

Not only do they have a positive mindset, PSG is also almost perfectly prepared for the final. Luis Enrique's side have not played since May 17, meaning they had 13 days of rest before facing Arsenal. Meanwhile, the English representatives had to exert themselves in the Premier League to secure their domestic title.

This is not the first time PSG has received maximum support from Ligue 1 for their Champions League campaign this season. Before clashes with Chelsea or Liverpool, many of the Parisian club's matches were rescheduled to allow the team to recover better. PSG then effectively used this advantage to overcome major opponents.

Nevertheless, Dembele insists PSG is not taking Arsenal lightly. The French star believes last year's victory is in the past and everything starts from scratch now. With a young and ambitious squad, PSG aims to continue writing more history for French football in the Champions League.

“We don’t want to stop here. Winning tomorrow is very important. It will become history. But the team remains focused because we know we are about to face a very strong opponent,” Dembele emphasized before concluding the press conference with a determined statement: “All of us are aiming for the trophy.”