Mbappé hails Dembélé and lays down a marker before the World Cup

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·13 June 2026

Mbappé hails Dembélé and lays down a marker before the World Cup

In an interview with L’Équipe, Kylian Mbappé, 27, Real Madrid striker, showered praise on Ousmane Dembélé, 29, Paris Saint-Germain winger. The former PSG player sees his friend as a natural Ballon d’Or contender and a major asset for Les Bleus.

Mbappé: “Ousmane is the Ballon d’Or”

“Ousmane is the Ballon d’Or. He’s a much more confident player, much more ‘clutch’ (decisive in the big moments). Mature. He has reached the peak of his career, and that’s great for us because it’s happening at the best possible time. This World Cup is a great opportunity for him to make a statement and show that he is also going to do great things with the France team.”

The compliment is huge, especially coming from Kylian Mbappé, who knows top-level football and Ousmane Dembélé’s journey inside out. For Paris Saint-Germain, this statement reinforces the idea of a player who has fully matured, capable of making an impact in the biggest matches. The word “clutch” is no coincidence: it refers precisely to what PSG expects from its attacking leaders in the games that matter.

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Mbappé: “We want to win a second World Cup together”

“I have no doubt. Our relationship? It would be nice if it evolved a little because we have the same dumbass relationship (he laughs). We’ve known each other for far too long for that to change, since we were 13. We call each other every day. We have a thousand WhatsApp groups together, the same interests. We’ve been through everything together. And we want to win a second World Cup together.”

Beyond the sporting praise, Mbappé also highlights a rare relationship in French football. That closeness gives even more weight to his opinion of Dembélé. For PSG, seeing its winger described as a player at the top by one of the best strikers in the world confirms his rise to another level. And with the World Cup in sight, Dembélé can carry his Parisian momentum onto the international stage.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.