Umtiti makes surprising admission about his role with Dembélé

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·23 September 2025

Umtiti makes surprising admission about his role with Dembélé

Samuel Umtiti, former defender who recently retired after playing notably for FC Barcelona (2016-2023) and the French National Team (31 caps), was on the microphone with DAZN after Ousmane Dembélé's victory at the 2025 Ballon d'Or. It was an opportunity to make a striking confession about the 28-year-old Paris Saint-Germain and Les Bleus forward, whom he knew at Barça and in the national team.

Umtiti: "He's a good guy, but it's like he's going to play in the city next door."

"I supported you, I'm very happy, you came from far away. We know each other, the delays, you weren't rigorous. He can't say otherwise. It's true that I had to call him in the morning to see if he was awake, if he knew that training was in the morning. That's why it's Ousmane, seeing that in Paris he has changed, he has evolved, he has matured, it's pleasing. He was carefree on and off the field. He didn't realize he was in Barcelona. He's a good guy, but it's like he's going to play in the city next door (laughs)."

This doesn't mean that Dembélé was doing just anything, but he wasn't quite at the level of the demands of a very big club and the highest level of football. It wasn't a "bad mentality," rather a relaxed attitude. Which can be refreshing. It's also important to keep some enthusiasm, some carefreeness. Except that there is also a certain seriousness.

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Umtiti thus helped keep Dembélé on the right track in the face of expectations at Barça, and he has recently taken a step forward, in his daily work as well. There is no secret, talent is not everything. Even if it didn't seem like the forward was planning to rely on it. It was more about simply enjoying football. Which is understandable.

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