PARIS: Ousmane Dembele scored twice, including a stunning opening goal on the volley, as Paris Saint-Germain warmed up for their Champions League quarter-final showdown with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/salah-to-leave-liverpool-at-the-end-of-the-season" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Liverpool</a>&nbsp;by beating Toulouse 3-1 on Friday to cement their place at the top of Ligue 1. Last year&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/dembele-beats-yamal-to-ballon-dor-as-bonmati-retains-womens-award" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ballon d&#39;Or</a>&nbsp;winner smashed in a superb strike to give PSG the lead and then got the second from close range just after the half-hour mark, but in between Toulouse were gifted an equalizer after calamitous goalkeeping from home shot-stopper Matvey Safonov. Substitute Goncalo Ramos wrapped up the win at the death, and the result ensures that Luis Enrique&#39;s side will finish the weekend on top of the French table. Their advantage is now four points from second-placed Lens, who play Lille away on Saturday. PSG came into the weekend with a game in hand and their scheduled trip to title rivals Lens next weekend has been controversially postponed until May to allow them extra rest in between the two legs of the Liverpool Champions League tie. The reigning European champions host Liverpool in the first leg of their quarter-final clash next Wednesday before going to Anfield for the return on Tuesday, April 14 in a tie that is a repeat of the last-16 encounter last season which PSG won on penalties. Retaining the Champions League crown is the absolute priority for PSG, but they remain well on course to claim a fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title, and a 12th in the last 14 years. Toulouse, meanwhile, are in mid-table and their season will now be defined by the outcome of their French Cup semi-final tie away to Lens, set for April 21. Luis Enrique gave a rest at kick-off to several players who had just returned from long trips away on international duty, including captain Marquinhos and the Portugal trio of Nuno Mendes, Vitinha and Joao Neves. Safonov howler Among the players coming into the line-up was Brazilian center-back Lucas Beraldo, who was surprisingly selected in central midfield. Dembele, who starred in the France side that beat Brazil in the United States last week, started a Ligue 1 game for just the eighth time this season. He marked it in style with his strike to give PSG the lead midway through the first half, nonchalantly swinging out his left leg on the edge of the box to meet a Mark McKenzie clearance and send the ball soaring into the top corner. Toulouse nevertheless drew level only four minutes later after a disastrous sequence of play by Safonov. The Russian initially came racing out of his box to attempt a headed clearance, only to be completely caught out by the bounce of the ball. He was saved by his defense who conceded a corner, but Safonov then failed to hold onto the resulting delivery and Danish defender Nicolaisen gratefully headed in for Toulouse. However, Safonov&#39;s blushes were soon saved by Dembele, who was left with an easy close-range finish on 33 minutes after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia nodded down a corner. Dembele is now on his own as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/paris-saintgermain-to-make-intercontinental-cup-debut-in-doha-final" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">PSG</a>&#39;s leading scorer this season on 14 goals in all competitions, with 10 coming in Ligue 1 including four against Toulouse. The second half was almost entirely devoid of interest until Ramos swept in his team&#39;s third goal in injury time with a low shot from outside the area. The Portuguese striker has now scored 12 goals in all competitions for his club this season, despite having started only 12 times.

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward #10 Ousmane Dembele (L) celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Toulouse FC at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on April 3, 2026. (

Football

Ousmane Dembele scored twice as PSG beat Toulouse 3-1, extending Ligue 1 lead. Despite a goalkeeping error, Ramos sealed victory before Liverpool Champions League clash.

Dembele leads PSG to victory ahead of Liverpool tie

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele won the Ballon d&#39;Or on Monday as a reward for his starring role in the club&#39;s Champions League triumph last season, while Spain&#39;s Aitana Bonmati claimed the women&#39;s prize for the third year in a row, AFP reported.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1970241089517797431&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=b0934304d0dccc2dc5d31d4e755d5a42b993341a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 805px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Dembele, 28, edged out Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal to succeed Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, who took the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/senegal-stun-hosts-morocco-to-win-afcon-title-after-ugly-scenes-mar-final" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">trophy </a>in 2024, as the winner of the most prestigious individual prize in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/salah-back-in-liverpool-squad-after-afcon" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">football </a>-- an award that for many years had been dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Former Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona forward Dembele, who was part of the France team that won the World Cup in 2018, scored 35 goals in all competitions as PSG claimed a French league and cup double as well as winning the Champions League. &lsquo;An incredible season&rsquo;With Dembele converted into a centre-forward following Kylian Mbappe&#39;s departure for Real Madrid, PSG went on to hammer Inter Milan 5-0 in the final in Munich to win the European Cup for the first time in their history. &quot;I really don&#39;t have the words. It was an incredible season with PSG,&quot; an emotional Dembele said on the stage at the Theatre du Chatelet in central Paris. He added that his boss, Luis Enrique -- who won the award for club coach of the year -- had been &quot;like a father&quot; to him. &quot;It is an individual trophy, but it was really the collective that won it,&quot; insisted Dembele, who was one of nine members of the triumphant PSG team from last season to be nominated for the prize. &quot;The Ballon d&#39;Or has not really been an objective for me in my career but I worked hard for the team to win the Champions League.&quot;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-6" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-6&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1970244622602383870&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=b0934304d0dccc2dc5d31d4e755d5a42b993341a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 626px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The 18-year-old Yamal, who was a teammate of Dembele&#39;s at Barcelona when he first broke through in 2023, did earlier win the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 -- the second year running he has taken that award. Dembele was at the ceremony to pick up his prize while his PSG teammates were losing 1-0 in a Ligue 1 game in Marseille at the same time -- that match had been scheduled for Sunday but was put back 24 hours due to bad weather in the south of France, AFP reported. Ballon d&#39;Or winner Ousmane Dembele was embraced by his family and friends as he departed the ceremony.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-7" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-7&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1970248536433533393&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=b0934304d0dccc2dc5d31d4e755d5a42b993341a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 801px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>According to The Athletic, the five other French Ballon d&#39;Or winners are Raymond Kopa (1958), Michel Platini (1983, 1984, 1985), Jean-Pierre Papin (1991), Zinedine Zidane (1998), and Karim Benzema (2022). Three in a row&nbsp;Barcelona and Spain midfielder Bonmati won the women&#39;s prize by edging out her international teammate Mariona Caldentey, with whom she played in the Spain side who were beaten on penalties by England in the Women&#39;s Euro 2025 final, AFP reported.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-8" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-8&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1970244176970224056&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=b0934304d0dccc2dc5d31d4e755d5a42b993341a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 602px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Bonmati, 27, also lost the Women&#39;s Champions League final with her club last season, at the hands of Caldentey&#39;s Arsenal.Bonmati was named player of the tournament at the Euros, despite not starting either of Spain&#39;s first two matches as she recovered from a bout of viral meningitis. Alessia Russo, one of the nominees from the triumphant England European Championship team, came third. Bonmati&#39;s run of three in a row follows back-to-back victories for her Barcelona and Spain teammate Alexia Putellas.

Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d'Or for his role in PSG's Champions League victory, edging out Lamine Yamal. Aitana Bonmati claimed her third consecutive women’s award, despite Spain’s Euro 2025 final loss and her recovery from meningitis.

Articles tagged with "Ousmane Dembele"

Dembele leads PSG to victory ahead of Liverpool tie

Dembele beats Yamal to Ballon d'Or as Bonmati retains women's award

Dembele leads PSG to victory ahead of Liverpool tie