Real Madrid icon Gareth Bale makes his Ballon d’Or choice: Yamal, Dembele, or Mbappe?

With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo no longer dominating the global stage, the 2025 Ballon d’Or conversation is wide open. Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembele, and Kylian Mbappe have emerged as the frontrunners—and now, Real Madrid icon Gareth Bale has weighed in on who he believes deserves the sport’s most prestigious individual honor.

A key figure in one of the greatest Champions League final goals ever scored, Bale spent nine years at Real Madrid, where he etched his name into club history with five UCL titles and three FIFA Club World Cup trophies. Despite delivering standout performances, the Welshman never managed to capture the Ballon d’Or, unlike former teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Speaking with ESPN, Bale was asked if Dembele—who is preparing for the Club World Cup final—is the top contender for the Ballon d’Or. His response was clear: “Yeah, I think so. I think you also have to look what the teams have won.“

Bale emphasized the importance of collective success in the Ballon d’Or race. “I think everyone obviously talks about individuals, but I think if you are winning those trophies as well, you’re winning the Champions league, obviously they’ve won their domestic treble, if they win again the Club World Cup, it’s hard to see anyone else from the season he’s had and he’s transformed them into trophies as well as the season he’s had,” he added.

“It does make him the front runner by some way in my opinion,” Bale concluded. While Mbappe has scored an impressive 44 goals and Yamal has been a breakout star, Dembele’s combination of silverware and elite production—37 goals and 17 assists—could make him the first PSG player to win the Ballon d’Or since Messi.

Dembele chasing a historic year

PSG have already swept every major domestic trophy in 2024–25: Ligue 1, the French Super Cup, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League. Now, with the Club World Cup final on the horizon, Dembele and PSG are within reach of a truly historic season.

The Parisian club is set to play in two more finals: the FIFA Club World Cup against Chelsea, and the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur. If they win both, PSG would become just the third club in history to complete a sextuple—joining Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona (2009) and Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich (2020).