The Curse of the Ballon d'Or Before the World Cup: Dembele Faces the Test of Breaking History

A report published by the French newspaper "L'Équipe" addresses the renewed debate over what is known as the "Ballon d'Or curse," which is the idea that the player who wins the award before the World Cup usually does not succeed in leading their national team to win the world title.

This proposal comes in conjunction with the French star Ousmane Dembélé entering the list of top contenders to win the World Cup after being awarded the Ballon d'Or.

The newspaper presents prominent historical examples that confirm this alleged "curse," such as the Englishman Michael Owen, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2001 before Brazil won the 2002 World Cup, and the Brazilian Ronaldinho, who received the award in 2005, only for his national team to fail in the 2006 World Cup, which was won by Italy.

The list also includes Argentine Lionel Messi, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2009 before Spain won the 2010 World Cup, reinforcing the belief that the major individual award might be a "jinx" at the international level, even though players continue to deliver historic performances with their clubs and national teams.

The report concludes by noting that the ball is now in Ousmane Dembélé's court, as he enters the upcoming World Cup as the latest Ballon d'Or winner, amid questions about his ability to break this historical streak or continue what some consider one of the strangest "curses" in global football.