Ousmane Dembélé facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids
Ousmane Dembélé

Dembélé with France in 2026

Personal information

Full name

Masour Ousmane Dembélé

Date of birth

15 May 1997 (age 29)

Place of birth

Vernon, Eure, France

Height

1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)

Position(s)

Forward, right winger

Team information

Current team

Paris Saint-Germain

Number

Youth career

2004–2009

Madeleine Évreux

2009–2010

Évreux

2010–2014

Rennes

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

2014–2015

Rennes II

(13)

2015–2016

Rennes

(12)

2016–2017

Borussia Dortmund

(6)

2017–2023

Barcelona

127

(24)

2023–

Paris Saint-Germain

(34)

International career^‡

2013–2014

France U17

(4)

2014–2015

France U18

(0)

2015

France U19

(1)

2016

France U21

(0)

2016–

France

(12)

Medal record

Men's football

Representing France
FIFA World Cup
Winner	2018
Runner-up	2022
UEFA Nations League
	2025

Signature

*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:02, 17 May 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:00, 9 July 2026 (UTC)

Masour Ousmane Dembélé (born on 15 May 1997) is a talented French professional footballer. He plays as a forward or right winger for the French club Paris Saint-Germain. He also represents the France national team. Many people consider him one of the best players in the world. He is one of only ten players to have won the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Ballon d'Or in their career.

Dembélé started his professional journey at Rennes. There, he was named the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year in his first season with the main team. In 2016, he moved to the German club Borussia Dortmund. He won the DFB-Pokal in his first year and even scored in the final match.

Recognized as a very promising young player, Dembélé joined the Spanish team Barcelona in 2017. The initial transfer fee was €105 million. This made him one of the most expensive players in football history at that time. While at Barcelona, Dembélé won several national titles. These included three La Liga championships, two Copa del Rey cups, and two Supercopa de España titles.

In 2023, Dembélé returned to France, signing with Paris Saint-Germain for €50.4 million. The 2024–25 season was a huge success for him. He scored 33 goals and made 15 assists in 49 games. PSG won a continental treble that season. He was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year and the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season for 2025. He also became the top scorer in Ligue 1. His amazing performances earned him the 2025 Ballon d'Or. In the next season, 2025–26, Dembélé was again named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year. He also helped PSG win another Champions League and league title.

Dembélé played 20 games and scored five goals for France's youth teams. He made his debut for the senior French national team in 2016. He was part of the French squad that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He also played in UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup (where France finished second), Euro 2024, and the 2026 World Cup.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Masour Ousmane Dembélé was born on 15 May 1997 in Vernon, Eure, France. His mother is from Mauritania and Senegal, and his father is from Mali. He started playing football in Évreux, a nearby town. He played for ALM Évreux and then for Évreux FC 27 when he was 12 and 13 years old.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Rennes

Dembélé with Rennes in 2015

Dembélé first played for Rennes' reserve team on 6 September 2014. He came in as a substitute and helped set up a goal in a 2–0 win. On 9 November, he scored his first goal in a game against Laval's reserves. In his first season, he scored 13 goals in 18 games. This included three goals in one match on 16 May 2015.

On 6 November 2015, Dembélé played his first professional game for Rennes' main team in Ligue 1. He scored his first Ligue 1 goal on 22 November in a 2–2 draw. On 6 March, he scored his first hat-trick in Ligue 1 during a 4–1 victory against Nantes. He finished his first season with 12 goals in 29 matches. Rennes' sports director, Mikaël Silvestre, compared Dembélé to Cristiano Ronaldo because of his talent at a young age.

Time at Borussia Dortmund

Dembele training with Borussia Dortmund in 2017

On 12 May 2016, Dembélé signed a five-year contract with the German club Borussia Dortmund. He joined them on 1 July. His debut was on 14 August in a match against Bayern Munich. He scored his first goal for Dortmund on 20 September in a 5–1 win against VfL Wolfsburg. On 22 November, he scored his first Champions League goal in a big 8–4 victory.

On 26 April 2017, Dembélé helped Dortmund reach the 2017 DFB-Pokal Final. He assisted a goal and then scored the winning goal in the semi-final against Bayern Munich. In the final on 27 May, he scored the first goal in a 2–1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt. This helped Dortmund win their first major title in five years. Dembélé was named the best player of that final match.

After scoring six goals and making 13 assists in the 2016–17 season, Dembélé was chosen for the Bundesliga Team of the Season. He also won the league's Rookie of the Season award.

Joining Barcelona

On 25 August 2017, La Liga club Barcelona announced they would sign Dembélé. The deal was for €105 million, plus an extra €40 million in bonuses. On 28 August, he passed his medical and signed a five-year contract. His release clause was set at €400 million. Barcelona had just sold Neymar for €222 million. This made Dembélé the joint-second most expensive player at the time. He took the number 11 shirt, which Neymar previously wore.

First Season and Double Win

Dembélé made his Barcelona debut on 9 September 2017. He came on as a substitute and assisted a goal in a 5–0 win. In his first league start, he injured his hamstring and was out for four months. He returned in January 2018 but got injured again a couple of weeks later.

On 14 March 2018, Dembélé scored his first goal for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. It was in a 3–0 win against Chelsea. On 17 April, he scored his first La Liga goal. On 9 May, he scored two goals in a 5–1 win against Villarreal. In his first season, Dembélé won both the Copa del Rey and La Liga titles. He scored four goals in 24 games.

Winning More Titles

Dembélé playing for Barcelona in 2018

On 12 August 2018, Dembélé scored the winning goal against Sevilla in the 2018 Supercopa de España. This helped Barcelona win their 13th Supercopa title. He scored his first La Liga goal of the season on 25 August. On 18 September, he scored his first Champions League goal of the season. This helped Barcelona beat PSV 4–0.

On 4 November, he scored a late equalizer in a 3–2 comeback win against Rayo Vallecano. On 11 December, he scored an amazing solo goal against Tottenham Hotspur. He ran past many defenders and scored with his left foot. This goal won the UEFA Champions League Goal of the Week. Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde praised his talent. Dembélé finished the season with 14 goals, helping his club win another La Liga title.

Challenges with Injuries

Dembélé faced several injuries during his time at Barcelona. In August 2019, he injured his left hamstring and missed five weeks. He returned but got sent off in a game against Sevilla. On 27 November, he suffered another injury in a Champions League match against his former club, Borussia Dortmund. This thigh injury kept him out for ten weeks.

In February 2020, he suffered a serious hamstring tear, which ended his season. He returned to play in September 2020 after ten months. He scored his first goal in over a year in a Champions League game against Ferencváros on 20 October.

In 2021, Dembélé had another hamstring injury while playing for France. This required surgery in Finland. He had been operated on by the same surgeons before.

Top Assists in La Liga

On 10 May 2022, Dembélé made two assists in a 3–1 win against Celta Vigo. He finished the 2021–22 La Liga season as the league's top playmaker with thirteen assists. On 14 July 2022, Dembélé extended his contract with Barcelona until June 2024.

Moving to Paris Saint-Germain

First Season in Paris

On 12 August 2023, Dembélé joined Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He signed a contract until June 2028 for €50.4 million. He first wore jersey number 23, then switched to number 10 after Neymar left.

Dembélé made his PSG debut on 20 August as a substitute. On 24 September, he made his first assist for PSG in a 4–0 win. On 24 November, he scored his first goal for the club in a 5–2 win against Monaco. On 10 April 2024, he scored his first Champions League goal with PSG against his former club Barcelona. He also scored in the second leg, helping PSG reach the semi-finals. At the end of the 2023–24 season, Dembélé won the Ligue 1 title with PSG. He also scored in PSG's 2–1 win in the 2024 Coupe de France final.

Winning the Treble and Awards

Dembélé playing for Paris Saint-Germain in 2025

On 5 January 2025, Dembélé scored a winning goal in stoppage time. PSG defeated Monaco 1–0 in the 2024 Trophée des Champions. On 22 January, he scored PSG's first goal in a 4–2 comeback win against Manchester City in the Champions League. On 29 January, he scored three goals (a hat-trick) in a 4–1 Champions League win against VfB Stuttgart. This was his second career hat-trick and first in European competitions. Three days later, Dembélé scored another hat-trick in a 5–2 league win against Brest. He became the first PSG player to score consecutive hat-tricks.

On 11 March, Dembélé scored an equalizing goal against Liverpool in the Champions League. He also scored in the penalty shootout, helping PSG advance. On 29 April, he scored PSG's only goal in a 1–0 win against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals. He then assisted a goal in the second leg, helping PSG reach the final. He set a new record for goal contributions by a French club player in a single Champions League season.

Dembélé finished the season as a top scorer in Ligue 1 with 21 goals. He helped PSG win their 13th league title. He was also named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year and included in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year. On 31 May 2025, Dembélé won the Champions League after PSG beat Inter Milan 5–0 in the final. He provided two assists in that match. His season statistics were 33 goals and 15 assists in 49 games. This led to him winning the 2025 Ballon d'Or. At the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Dembélé scored against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. PSG finished as runners-up after losing to Chelsea in the final.

Back-to-Back Champions League Titles

Dembélé won the UEFA Super Cup with PSG on 13 August 2025. He scored in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. He also assisted a goal and was named Player of the Match. On 30 August 2025, Dembélé scored two penalty goals in a 6–3 win against Toulouse. However, he suffered a hamstring injury in September, keeping him out for six weeks. That same month, he won the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

On 22 October, Dembélé returned from injury and scored in a 7–2 Champions League win against Bayer Leverkusen. On 4 November, he suffered another injury, this time to his calf. On 16 December, Dembélé was named The Best FIFA Men's Player of the year. On 8 January 2026, he scored in a 2–2 draw against Marseille in the 2025 Trophée des Champions, which PSG won on penalties. On 14 April, he scored twice in a 2–0 win against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final. This secured PSG's spot in the semi-finals.

On 11 May, Dembélé was named the UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year for the second year in a row. He is only the fifth player to achieve this. Despite injuries, he scored 10 goals and made 6 assists. He played a key role in PSG winning their 12th league title. On 30 May, he scored an equalizing penalty in the UEFA Champions League final against Arsenal. PSG then won the trophy in a penalty shootout, keeping their title.

International Career with France

Dembélé after winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France

Dembélé was first called to the senior France squad in August 2016. He made his debut on 1 September in a 3–1 win against Italy. On 13 June 2017, Dembélé scored his first goal for France in a 3–2 friendly victory against England.

On 17 May 2018, Dembélé was selected for the 23-man French squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He played in four matches during the tournament. On 15 July, France beat Croatia 4–2 in the final, and Dembélé became a World Cup winner.

Dembélé was also part of the French squad for UEFA Euro 2020. However, he got injured during a group stage match and could not play for the rest of the tournament.

He was called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. France finished as runners-up in this tournament. Dembélé started the final match.

On 18 November 2023, Dembélé scored a goal in a huge 14–0 win against Gibraltar. This was France's largest win ever. At UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany, he was named man of the match in France's quarter-final win against Portugal.

Dembélé with France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

On 14 May 2026, Dembélé was chosen for the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In France's second group match on 22 June, he assisted a goal and scored another in a 3–0 win against Iraq. This helped France qualify for the next stage. On 26 June, Dembélé scored a hat-trick and was named Man of the Match in a 4–1 victory against Norway. He became the third French player to score a World Cup hat-trick. In the round of 32 on 30 June, he set up a goal in a 3–0 win against Sweden. In the quarter-finals against Morocco, he scored in a 2–0 victory. He reached five goals in a single World Cup, a rare achievement for a French player.

Player Profile: Skills and Style

Dembélé playing for France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Dembélé is a winger who can play on either side of the field. He is very good with both feet. He uses his technical skills, speed, and agility to get past opponents. He can also play as an attacking midfielder or even a striker. Dembélé has a powerful shot from a distance.

Many consider Dembélé one of the best players in the world. His former captain, Andrés Iniesta, praised his ability to change games. He is known for being able to use both feet equally well. His dribbling skills are excellent, allowing him to create scoring chances. He is also a great crosser of the ball and very creative. His speed and smart runs make him a big threat during counterattacks.

Personal Life

Dembélé is a Muslim and observes fasts during Ramadan even while playing matches. He married a Moroccan woman in France in December 2021. They welcomed a daughter in September 2022. Becoming a father has been seen as a positive influence on Dembélé. He has learned to be more disciplined, after facing some challenges with punctuality earlier in his career.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Rennes II	2014–15	CFA2	18	13	—		—		—		—		18	13
	2015–16	CFA2	4	0	—		—		—		—		4	0
	Total		22	13	—		—		—		—		22	13
Rennes	2015–16	Ligue 1	26	12	2	0	1	0	—		—		29	12
Borussia Dortmund	2016–17	Bundesliga	32	6	6	2	—		10	2	1	0	49	10
	2017–18	Bundesliga	0	0	0	0	—		—		1	0	1	0
	Total		32	6	6	2	—		10	2	2	0	50	10
Barcelona	2017–18	La Liga	17	3	3	0	—		3	1	—		23	4
	2018–19	La Liga	29	8	4	2	—		8	3	1	1	42	14
	2019–20	La Liga	5	1	0	0	—		4	0	0	0	9	1
	2020–21	La Liga	30	6	6	2	—		6	3	2	0	44	11
	2021–22	La Liga	21	1	1	1	—		9	0	1	0	32	2
	2022–23	La Liga	25	5	2	2	—		6	1	2	0	35	8
	Total		127	24	16	7	—		36	8	6	1	185	40
Paris Saint-Germain	2023–24	Ligue 1	26	3	4	1	—		11	2	1	0	42	6
	2024–25	Ligue 1	29	21	4	3	—		15	8	5	3	53	35
	2025–26	Ligue 1	22	10	2	1	—		13	8	3	1	40	20
	Total		77	34	10	5	—		38	18	9	4	134	61
Career total			284	89	34	14	1	0	85	28	17	5	421	136

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
France	2016	3	0
	2017	4	1
	2018	14	1
	2021	6	2
	2022	8	0
	2023	7	1
	2024	11	1
	2025	4	1
	2026	8	5
Total		65	12

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dembélé goal

List of international goals scored by Ousmane Dembélé
No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	13 June 2017	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	7	England	3–2	3–2	Friendly
2	1 June 2018	Allianz Riviera, Nice, France	11	Italy	3–1	3–1	Friendly
3	28 March 2021	Astana Arena, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan	23	Kazakhstan	1–0	2–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	2 June 2021	Allianz Riviera, Nice, France	24	Wales	3–0	3–0	Friendly
5	18 November 2023	Allianz Riviera, Nice, France	41	Gibraltar	10–0	14–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
6	9 September 2024	Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon, France	51	Belgium	2–0	2–0	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A
7	23 March 2025	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	55	Croatia	2–0	2–0 (aet) (5–4 p)	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A
8	22 June 2026	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, United States	61	Iraq	3–0	3–0	2026 FIFA World Cup
9	26 June 2026	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States	62	Norway	1–0	4–1	2026 FIFA World Cup
10					2–0
11					3–1
12	9 July 2026	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States	65	Morocco	2–0	2–0	2026 FIFA World Cup