Ousmane Dembélé’s crowning as the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner has stunned many across the football world, not least his former Borussia Dortmund coach, Peter Bosz.

The Dutch manager admitted he once feared the Frenchman’s career might be derailed by a lack of discipline, but now acknowledges his remarkable transformation into the game’s finest player.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward secured the award by a commanding margin of more than 300 points ahead of Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, after spearheading PSG’s historic quadruple.

Dembélé’s season haul of 35 goals, 14 assists, and a decisive role in delivering PSG’s first-ever Champions League title sealed his place at the pinnacle of world football.

Bosz, who briefly coached Dembélé at Dortmund in 2017, confessed his surprise at seeing the winger reach such heights.

“I honestly didn’t expect it, but he’s one of the best players I’ve ever worked with,” Bosz told De Telegraaf.

He added, “His dribbling was unparalleled, and I couldn’t even tell if he was left- or right-footed. But privately, he was very disorganised. He was often late.”

The Dutchman explained that Dembélé’s problems continued at Barcelona, where his six-year stint was marred by constant lateness, fitness concerns, and a poor diet.

“He lacked the structure a top footballer needs. I understood that his teammates helped him, buying him an alarm clock, even arranging a chef to stop him from eating McDonald’s and pizza,” Bosz revealed.

Signed for a then-club record fee to replace Neymar, Dembélé never fully lived up to expectations at Barcelona. He managed 40 goals and 41 assists in 185 games, but his time was overshadowed by injuries and inconsistency.

Bosz believes the turning point came after Dembélé’s switch to PSG, where the forward’s game and mentality evolved.

“It wasn’t until he reached Paris that he fulfilled his potential. In the Champions League final against Inter, the way he pressed and worked for the team… If you’d asked me in Dortmund whether he could do that, I would have said no. But he did,” Bosz noted.

Dembélé has not only silenced critics but also earned recognition as the best player in the world.