Messi backs Dembele for FIFA Men’s Player of the Year as PSG star takes top prize

Lionel Messi has revealed he voted for former Barcelona team-mate Ousmane Dembele as FIFA Men’s Player of the Year, after the French forward picked up the award in Doha on Tuesday night.

Dembele landed the prize at The Best FIFA Football Awards, seeing off Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal and his own France team-mate Kylian Mbappe. Messi, last year’s winner, placed Mbappe second on his ballot, with Yamal his third choice.

FIFA published the full voting breakdown from captains, coaches and media representatives across the world, giving a rare insight into how the biggest names in the game cast their votes for 2025.

Dembele’s win comes off the back of a sensational season with Paris Saint-Germain. Under Luis Enrique, the winger finally delivered on his vast potential, playing a decisive role in PSG’s historic Champions League triumph. They thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 in the final, lifting the trophy for the first time in the club’s history.

Individually, the numbers was just as eye-catching. Dembele scored 35 goals in all competitions, including 21 in Ligue 1, finishing as the division’s top scorer and driving PSG to domestic dominance.

His rise did not stop there. Earlier this season, Dembele also collected the 2025 Ballon d’Or, becoming the first French player to win the award since Karim Benzema in 2022. He edged out teenage star Yamal, with PSG midfielder Vitinha finishing third.

Messi was quick to congratulate Dembele after that success in September, and his FIFA vote only underlined the respect between the two former Barcelona players.

The 27-year-old was also part of a PSG side that completed a historic treble in the 2024-25 campaign, winning the Champions League, Ligue 1 and the main domestic cup, before going on to reach the Club World Cup final. For Dembele, it has been a season to remember – and now, officially, the best in the world.