If you’d told a PSG fan back in June that Ousmane Dembele would be the reigning Ballon d'Or winner by January 2026, they’d have probably kissed you. He was coming off a monster 2024–25 season. 33 goals. 15 assists. A continental treble. He looked like he’d finally cracked the code, shedding the "injury-prone" label and becoming the most lethal winger on the planet.
But then the 2025–26 campaign actually started.
Football is funny like that. One minute you're on top of the world, and the next, you're fighting for a spot in Luis Enrique’s starting XI. Honestly, looking at the Ousmane Dembele stats this season, it feels like a total 180 from the heights of last year. It’s not that he’s been "bad"—his underlying numbers are still kinda ridiculous—but the lack of continuity is killing his rhythm.
The Raw Numbers: Ligue 1 and Champions League
Let’s get the basic data out of the way. As of mid-January 2026, Dembele’s production in Ligue 1 has been... patchy. In 9 appearances, he’s managed 3 goals and 2 assists.
That sounds okay until you realize he’s only clocked around 405 minutes. Basically, he's barely played four full games' worth of football in the league. His Champions League stats are even thinner: 3 matches played, only 64 minutes total, and a single goal.
- Ligue 1: 9 Games | 3 Goals | 2 Assists | 405 Minutes
- Champions League: 3 Games | 1 Goal | 0 Assists | 64 Minutes
- Total Output: 4 Goals and 2 Assists across all competitions
Contrast that with his teammate Bradley Barcola, who has 5 goals, or Vitinha, who’s been the real engine of the team with a 7.43 average rating. Dembele isn't the main character right now. He's more like a high-end luxury cameo.
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Why the stats don't tell the whole story
If you just look at the goal tally, you’d think he’s finished. You’d be wrong.
When he’s on the pitch, the guy is still a freak. His Shot-Creating Actions (SCA) are sitting at 6.22 per 90 minutes. That’s in the 99th percentile globally. He is still creating absolute chaos every time he touches the ball. He’s averaging 8.32 progressive passes and 5.65 progressive carries per 90.
Essentially, the ball moves toward the opponent's goal faster when he's playing.
He just had a massive game on Friday, January 16, against Lille. He bagged a brace in a 3-0 win, reminding everyone why he won the Ballon d'Or in the first place. That performance alone pushed his Ligue 1 goal count from one to three. It shows how quickly his stats can explode if he stays on the pitch for more than twenty minutes.
The Injury Bug is back (and it’s annoying)
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The health issues.
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After a miraculously healthy 2024, the 2025–26 season has been a revolving door of medical reports. He’s already missed 11 games this season due to four separate issues.
- Hamstring injury: 40 days out (Missed 6 games)
- Calf injury: 21 days out (Missed 2 games)
- Illness: 8 days out (Missed 2 games)
- Fitness/Rest: 4 days out (Missed 1 game)
That’s 73 days lost to the treatment room. It’s tough to build chemistry with Goncalo Ramos or Kang-in Lee when you’re constantly undergoing rehab. Reports from World Soccer Talk and Canal Plus suggest he’s frustrated with his secondary role, but Luis Enrique is being cautious. After last year's treble, the club doesn't want to break their star asset before the business end of the Champions League.
Dembele vs. the World: Is he still elite?
Despite the stop-start nature of his season, the scouting reports are still glowing. His non-penalty Expected Goals (npxG) sits at 0.74 per 90, which is—you guessed it—99th percentile. He’s taking 4.60 shots per game.
The problem is finishing.
Last season, everything he touched turned to gold. This year, he’s underperforming his xG slightly in the league (3 goals from 3.1 xG). It’s a tiny margin, but at the elite level, that’s the difference between a "struggling" season and a "legendary" one.
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His passing accuracy is holding steady at 84%, which is actually quite high for a high-risk winger who constantly tries "killer" balls. He isn't just a dribbler anymore; he’s a playmaker who happens to be fast as hell.
What’s next for Ousmane?
The focus now shifts to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the knockout stages of the Champions League. He’s back to full fitness as of late December/early January, and that brace against Lille suggests the "resurgence" is finally starting.
If you're tracking his stats for fantasy or just general interest, keep an eye on his minutes. If he starts three games in a row, the goals will flood in. The talent hasn't gone anywhere—the body just needed a minute to catch up.
Actionable Insights for the Second Half of the Season:
- Monitor Starting Lineups: Luis Enrique is rotation-heavy. Don't expect Dembele to play 90 minutes every week; he's being preserved for big UCL nights.
- Watch the SCA Stats: If his Shot-Creating Actions stay above 6.0, his assist numbers will inevitably spike as Ramos and Barcola find form.
- Injury Precaution: Any sign of a "thigh tweak" usually leads to a 2-week absence with Dembele. If he survives the February fixture pile-up, he’s safe for the season.
- Ballon d'Or Hangover: Expect a slow statistical climb. Winning the top individual prize often leads to a dip in raw output as opponents double-team the "best in the world."