Ousmane Dembele's Ballon d'Or win was a surprise to his former coach Peter Bosz, who has revealed his battles with the star's lack of discipline during his time at Borussia Dortmund. The Paris Saint-Germain forward was described as "disorganised" and "often late," but the Dutch coach feels he has undergone a transformation since joining the French side.
Ex coach surprised by Dembele's magic
Dembele has been crowned the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner after leading Paris Saint-Germain to a historic quadruple, securing the award by a convincing margin of over 300 points ahead of Barcelona's Lamine Yamal. However, despite a stellar campaign that included 35 goals, 14 assists, and a first-ever Champions League title for PSG, the victory came as a surprise to his former Borussia Dortmund coach, Bosz. In an interview with Dutch newspaper , Bosz praised the attacker's immense talent but detailed the off-field issues, including chronic disorganisation and poor diet, that once threatened a career that has now reached the pinnacle of world football.
AdvertisementAFPBosz on Dembele's 'unparalleled' but 'disorganised' talent
Bosz, who managed Dembele briefly in 2017, expressed his shock at the 28-year-old's crowning moment. "I honestly didn't expect it, but he's one of the best players I've ever worked with," Bosz said. "What he could do with the ball was truly sensational. I honestly didn't know if he was left- or right-footed. His dribbling was unparalleled.
"Privately, he was very disorganised. He was often late," Bosz explained. "Then he went to Barcelona, and there, too, he was constantly late. So it wasn't Dortmund's fault, but his."
Dembele's six-year tenure at Barcelona was a turbulent period of unfulfilled potential following his monumental transfer. His time was severely hampered by a relentless series of injuries, preventing any consistent run of form. While he registered a respectable 40 goals and 41 assists in 185 appearances, these flashes of brilliance were often overshadowed by lengthy spells on the sidelines and disciplinary issues. His struggles with fitness and consistency meant he never fully justified his massive price tag before a transformative move to PSG.
'He needed a chef to avoid McDonald's and pizza'
The former coach shed light on the extent of Dembele's lifestyle problems, which continued after his move to Spain. Bosz stated that the player's teammates had to intervene to provide structure.
"He was a very quiet, gentle boy who lacked the structure a top footballer needs," he said. "I understood that his teammates helped him there because he was still arriving late. With an alarm clock and a chef accompanying him so he would avoid McDonald's and pizza and eat well."
PSG move key to unlocking 'full potential'
Bosz credits Dembele's transformation to his time at Paris Saint-Germain, where he believes the player finally matured. He highlighted the forward's improved work rate, particularly after being deployed as a central striker. "It wasn't until he reached his full potential at Paris Saint-Germain," Bosz noted. "If you look at the final against Inter, the way he applied pressure… If you had asked me in Dortmund if I thought he would ever apply that kind of pressure, I would have said no. But he did."