‘Mindset makes the difference’ – Silvestre celebrates French-Malian protégé Ousmane Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or win

Former Rennes sporting director Mikaël Silvestre says he feels immense pride after watching Ousmane Dembélé crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward, once a teenage prospect struggling to find his way at the Brittany club, has now risen to the very top of world football, fulfilling the lofty expectations Silvestre once placed on his shoulders.

Dembélé, who was born to a Malian father and a Mauritanian Senegalese mother, signed his first professional contract at Rennes under Silvestre’s guidance.

The former Manchester United defender had to personally persuade the then 18-year-old to commit to the club after disagreements with academy coaches threatened to derail his development.

Silvestre always saw a player capable of greatness and likened him to Cristiano Ronaldo, citing the winger’s explosive pace and flair as hallmarks of a potential superstar.

Reflecting on Dembélé’s journey in a 2021 interview with TribalFootball, Silvestre noted: “Ousmane broke into the team very early into his career, I was there to witness his development and since then he’s barely had a full season without injury.

“That’s really where things have gone wrong for him because when he’s on top form he’s such a good player.”

Silvestre also explained the thinking behind comparing the young attacker to Ronaldo.

“When I was comparing him to Cristiano it was, for me, a way of putting pressure on him in terms of demand. To reach that level, you have to be hard working. He is already — he can still develop. Has he the ability to become a really great player? I say yes without hesitation. But it’s the mindset that will make the difference,” he said.

Now, with Dembélé lifting the Ballon d’Or, Silvestre’s faith has been vindicated, cementing his protégé’s place among the elite.