Becoming the Best
Ousmane Dembélé heads into the 2026 World Cup as the current Ballon d’Or holder, the award given to the best player on the planet. The Paris Saint-Germain superstar has flourished into a devastating goal machine since moving to the Ligue 1 side and will now seek to add another World Cup to his collection this summer.
After failing to live up to his potential and a lofty $150 million price tag at Barcelona, Dembélé turned his career around at PSG. The forward’s time with the Catalan giants was blighted by injury and inconsistency.
Coming Home
A return to France changed everything for Dembélé and unlocked his best form. Luis Enrique switched Dembélé from a wide position to a central role, sat back and watched as the Frenchman exploded in sensational style. He scored 35 goals and bagged 16 assists in 53 appearances as PSG won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and finally got their hands on a Champions League trophy.
The Role Change
Dembélé has become liberated at PSG, freed from the suffocating pressure of Barca and now mature enough to take on the responsibility of being the main man. His electrifying pace is a huge asset, but it’s his vision, movement and positioning that have helped elevate him into world-class territory. He’s also sharpened up in front of goal, putting days of wastefulness behind him to become a ruthless finisher.
The forward will now seek more glory on the international stage with France. Dembélé was part of the squad that won the 2018 tournament, beating Croatia 4-2 in the final in Russia, but only started twice in the group phase and two more times as a substitute in the knockout rounds.
France at the World Cup
France and Dembélé made it to the final again in 2022 and came close to retaining their title. Didier Deschamps’s side was beaten on penalties by Argentina. It was a game to forget for Dembélé, as he conceded a penalty and was taken off in the first half.
Les Bleus will once again be among the favorites at the World Cup in what will be Deschamps’s final tournament with his star-studded squad that includes the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola.
Dembélé will form part of a fearsome attack that has the talent to go all the way again. Curiously, Dembélé is yet to score a World Cup goal for France, a record he’ll seek to end as Les Bleus look to send Deschamps off on a high.
- France vs Senegal — June 16 — 3 p.m. ET from East Rutherford, NJ (MetLife Stadium)
- France vs Iraq — June 22 — 5 p.m. ET from Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field)
- France vs Norway — June 26 — 3 p.m. ET from Foxborough, MA (Gillette Stadium)
Verizon fuels soccer culture and community impact year-round – uniting fans, supporting local businesses and creating unforgettable moments that celebrate the global game.