Ghanaian sports journalist Michael Oti Adjei, who works with Media General Limited and TV3 Network, once again represented the country in the prestigious Ballon d’Or voting process.
For the 2025 edition, his ballot mirrored the final outcome of world football’s biggest individual award, as he placed Ousmane Dembele at the very top of his list.
Why Dembele got his No.1 vote
The Ghanaian journalist’s pick ultimately aligned with the final winner, as Dembele was crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner at Monday night’s ceremony in Paris.
The PSG forward polled 1380 points, finishing comfortably ahead of Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who had 1059 points.
With this triumph, Dembele became the sixth Frenchman in history to win the coveted prize. Explaining his choice, Oti Adjei wrote on social media:
“I went for Ousmane Dembele purely because I think that he was the best player in the best team in the year under review. I thought that his goals, his assists, his evolution as a player."
“The fact that he changed from the Dembele who could barely get anything right to the Dembélé who was scoring goals, providing assists, popping up everywhere, finding form in the most important stages to rescue PSG this season. The fact that they won the Champions League and they won the domestic cups,” he added.
Dembele’s season of brilliance
The 28-year-old winger was at the heart of PSG’s dominance in the 2024/25 season, which saw them win a historic quadruple.
He delivered decisive performances in Ligue 1, but more crucially, he inspired PSG to their long-awaited UEFA Champions League triumph, while also playing a pivotal role in securing domestic cup titles.
His blend of goals, creativity, and consistency marked a remarkable transformation from the inconsistent player of old to one of Europe’s most complete forwards.
The rest of Oti Adjei’s picks
While Dembele topped his ballot, Oti Adjei’s list also recognised emerging stars and consistent performers across Europe.
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s teenage prodigy who dazzled in La Liga and Europe, took second place. Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi was rewarded with third, reflecting his dual role as a defensive wall and attacking threat for PSG.
Liverpool’s talisman Mohamed Salah was fourth, followed by Raphinha of Barcelona and PSG’s midfield engine Vitinha.
Oti Adjei’s seventh to tenth places featured household names like Kylian Mbappé and Gianluigi Donnarumma, alongside Sporting CP’s Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres and gifted youngster Desire Doue.
A consistent voice in the Ballon d’Or process
Michael Oti Adjei’s role as Ghana’s representative in the Ballon d’Or has spanned almost two decades.
Having been part of the voting panel since 2007, his ballots have consistently reflected both global excellence and African contributions to the game.
His 2025 vote will go down as one of his most prescient, backing the French winger whose career renaissance finally received the ultimate recognition.
