Dembélé shines as winner FIFA best men’s player award

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé Photo: FIFA

France and Paris Saint-Germain attacker Ousmane Dembele won the men’s FIFA Best award at a ceremony in Qatar on Tuesday, while Barcelona midfield maestro Aitana Bonmati collected the women’s prize.

Dembele, 28, won the Ballon d’Or in September, rewarding an exceptional season with PSG, which included the Ligue 1 club’s first Champions League title.

“I wanted to thank my teammates. Hard work pays off; it’s been a fantastic year for me, both individually and collectively,” said Dembele after the ceremony, which took place on the eve of the Intercontinental Cup final between PSG and Flamengo, also being held in Qatar.

Bonmati, 27, was crowned women’s player of the year for the third time in a row, after also picking up her third consecutive Ballon d’Or in the autumn.

The personal awards come at the end of a year of ups and downs for the Spaniard, who lost both the Champions League and European Championship finals last season.

The winners were chosen by a vote of fans, media representatives, captains, and national team coaches.