A record-breaking season for PSG
PSG’s 2024/25 campaign will be remembered for their first Champions League triumph, part of a historic treble that also included Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France. Dembélé’s output was central to it all. Across all competitions, he produced 35 goals and 16 assists, ranking fourth in Europe for combined goal contributions (51) behind Barcelona's Raphinha, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, and Bayern's Harry Kane. Crucially, a lot of his numbers were career-bests. His 33 non-penalty goals in all competitions put him only behind Kylian Mbappé (36) and Robert Lewandowski (35). In Ligue 1, his 27 goal contributions (21 goals, 7 assists) led the division, while his 20 non-penalty goals were at the least, six more than any other player. It was a step-change from his past — more than double his previous best for goals in a single season.
From a quiet start to explosive form
Dembélé’s season didn’t begin in top gear. By mid-December, he had just five goals in 18 matches. But from January onwards, his form exploded. In the first six games of 2025, he scored in every single match, including consecutive hat-tricks against Stuttgart and Brest. From January and up until the Champions League final, he racked up 25 goals and 8 assists in 29 appearances. While his scoring slowed down once again late in the season, his creative contributions grew. Six assists in his final 10 games included two in the Champions League final, making him the first player since Marcelo in 2018 to assist twice in the title clash. By the end of the UCL campaign, he had 14 direct goal contributions (8 goals, 6 assists), which was also the most ever for a French side in the competition.
Champions League dominance
Dembele's numbers show just how good he was in Europe. Dembélé’s 38 chances created were joint-most in the Champions League, tied with Raphinha, with his 10.4 attacking sequence involvements per 90 were the highest of any player. He scored decisive winners against Liverpool and Arsenal, making sure that PSG advanced through the toughest stages. Even when limited to four appearances at the FIFA Club World Cup through injury, he managed two goals and an assist.
Stats that don't meet the eye: Elite-level numbers
Dembélé’s stat sheet in 2024/25 shows why he stood out. Among forwards in Europe’s top five leagues who played a minimum of 1,000 minutes, he led in non-penalty goals per 90 (1.07) and shots per 90 (5.3). He ranked in the 100th percentile for chances created and progressive carries, and in the 99th percentile for touches inside the opposition’s box. In Ligue 1, no player matched his 9.6 attacking sequence involvements per 90. In Europe, he was similarly unmatched in both shot creation and ball progression. Even while spending more than half his minutes rebreanded as a striker, he remained at the top both as a finisher and as a playmaker.
A worthy Ballon d’Or winner
Dembélé’s season was the complete package - team success, individual records, and a remarkable resurgence. From an underwhelming spell at Barcelona to becoming the man of the hour in PSG’s first Champions League triumph, his transformation was complete. Compared to Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Dembélé’s output shows the difference between an explosive finisher and a rising creative force that's already the best in several asapects. Yamal led Europe’s top five leagues in 2024/25 for carries followed by a shot (56) and carries followed by a chance created (35). He also completed 161 successful dribbles, which is 54 more than any other player across the continent. He was Barcelona’s standout attacker, though his final-third efficiency could not match Dembélé’s ruthless end product. While Yamal was instrumental in Barca’s title-winning season, Dembélé too, combined similar ball-progression ability with elite finishing to power PSG to a treble. Going by the numbers, he was the most decisive player in Europe's best team. That’s why he joins the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Karim Benzema, and Michel Platini as France’s Ballon d’Or winners, and why the 2025 edition belonged to Ousmane Dembélé.
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