Bosz Opens Up on Dembele’s Journey from Discipline Issues to Ballon d’Or Glory
Ousmane Dembélé’s unexpected triumph as the 2025 Ballon d’Or recipient has sent shockwaves through the football community, including his former Borussia Dortmund mentor, Peter Bosz.
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Reflecting on Dembélé’s career, Bosz revealed that he once doubted whether the French winger’s talent would flourish due to his lack of discipline. However, he now praises the player’s incredible evolution into one of football’s elite.
The Paris Saint-Germain attacker clinched the prestigious award by a staggering margin, outpacing Barcelona‘s young sensation Lamine Yamal by over 300 points, following his pivotal role in PSG’s historic quadruple-winning season.
With an impressive tally of 35 goals and 14 assists, alongside leading PSG to their maiden Champions League triumph, Dembélé has firmly established himself at the summit of global football.
Insights from Bosz
Having coached Dembélé briefly during his time at Dortmund in 2017, Bosz expressed astonishment at the winger’s rise to the top.
“I never anticipated this level of success, but he’s undoubtedly one of the most gifted players I’ve encountered,” Bosz shared with De Telegraaf.
He further elaborated, “His dribbling skills were extraordinary, and it was hard to tell which foot he favored. Yet off the pitch, he struggled with organization and punctuality.”
Bosz recounted that these challenges persisted during Dembélé’s tenure at Barcelona, where issues like tardiness, fitness struggles, and poor dietary habits were common.
“He lacked the discipline essential for a top-tier athlete. His teammates even stepped in to help, gifting him an alarm clock and hiring a personal chef to steer him away from fast food like burgers and pizza,” Bosz revealed.
Despite being signed for a record fee to fill Neymar’s shoes, Dembélé’s Barcelona spell was hampered by injuries and inconsistency, culminating in 40 goals and 41 assists over 185 appearances.
According to Bosz, the turning point came after Dembélé’s move to PSG, where both his mindset and performance saw a significant uplift.
“It was only in Paris that he truly realized his potential. In the Champions League final against Inter, his relentless pressing and team commitment were remarkable. Had you asked me back in Dortmund if he could do that, I would have doubted it. But he proved me wrong,” Bosz noted.
Today, Dembélé has not only quelled his critics but also earned his place as the world’s premier footballer.