Home Football Ligue 1Ousmane Dembélé named Ligue 1 Player of the Year

Ousmane Dembélé named Ligue 1 Player of the Year

May 12, 2026 08:08 PM GMT+00:00

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Ousmane Dembélé named Ligue 1 Player of the Year

Paris Saint-Germain reinforced their dominance in French football after sweeping the major honours at the 2025/26 UNFP Awards ceremony held in Paris on Monday night.

Leading the headlines was Ousmane Dembélé, who was crowned Ligue 1 Player of the Year following another outstanding campaign for the Parisian giants.

The award marked the second time in his career that Dembélé has claimed the honour and further strengthened his growing status as one of the defining players of the modern PSG era.

Dembélé continues extraordinary individual run

Dembélé’s latest recognition comes after a season in which he consistently delivered in crucial moments for PSG domestically and in Europe. The winger contributed 10 goals and six assists during the Ligue 1 campaign while maintaining his reputation as one of the league’s most unpredictable attacking threats.

His influence became even more significant during the 2026 calendar year, where he recorded 12 direct goal contributions in league competition alone. Only Esteban Lepaul registered more attacking contributions during that stretch.

Dembélé’s award also symbolically represents the beginning of a new era following the departure of former PSG superstar Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid CF.

Mbappé had dominated the category previously, winning Ligue 1 Player of the Year in five consecutive seasons before leaving France. Speaking after receiving the honour, Dembélé praised his teammates and coaching staff for their role in his success.

“This is an individual trophy, but all the individual trophies I’ve won are thanks to this team,” he said in comments released by PSG.

Désiré Doué emerges as France’s next major talent

Another major winner on the night was teenage sensation Désiré Doué.

The PSG youngster secured the Best Young Player award after a breakthrough campaign that confirmed his status as one of Europe’s brightest emerging talents.

Doué’s creativity, technical ability and maturity have made him one of the standout stories of the Ligue 1 season. His rise also highlights PSG’s growing commitment to integrating elite young French talent into the first team alongside established international stars.

Pierre Sage rewarded for Lens challenge

While PSG dominated the awards, Pierre Sage earned recognition for guiding RC Lens through one of the strongest campaigns in the club’s recent history.

Sage was named Ligue 1 Coach of the Year after Lens mounted one of the closest title challenges PSG have faced in recent seasons. Lens’ tactical organisation, defensive discipline, and consistency throughout the campaign earned widespread praise across French football.

Robin Risser recognised as Ligue 1’s Best Goalkeeper

Robin Risser was named Best Goalkeeper after an exceptional season between the posts for Lens. The goalkeeper produced several match-winning performances during the campaign and emerged as one of Ligue 1’s most reliable defensive players.

His performances played a key role in Lens remaining competitive throughout the title race.

Michael Olise honoured for Bayern Munich performances

Outside France, Michael Olise claimed the Best French Player Abroad award after a superb season with Bayern Munich.

Olise has enjoyed an impressive first full campaign in Germany, combining creativity, goals and attacking versatility as Bayern reclaimed domestic dominance.

The former Crystal Palace winger has quickly adapted to elite European football and is increasingly viewed as one of the most exciting French attacking players of his generation.

PSG continue to define French Football

The ceremony once again demonstrated PSG’s overwhelming influence within Ligue 1. Despite increased competition from clubs such as Lens, Marseille and Monaco in recent seasons, PSG continue to dominate both competitively and commercially.

Their combination of elite experience and emerging young stars has allowed them to remain the benchmark in French football. And with players like Dembélé and Doué leading the next generation, PSG’s domestic dominance may not be ending anytime soon.