Blues

Assuming his new status, Ousmane Dembélé admits he changed to reach his current level. The Ballon d’Or winner has notably gained in maturity.

On Thursday evening, the French team defeated Brazil in a friendly match in Boston (2-1). Ousmane Dembélé played a key role, providing an assist to Kylian Mbappé before being replaced by Maxence Lacroix (58th) due to Dayot Upamecano’s red card. Demonstrating an impressive level of play for over a year, “Dembouz” has become an essential element for the French team thanks to several personal developments.

“I have much more experience now, and the level I have had since last season is much higher. Many things have changed in football and in my personal life. It’s all positive; I am much calmer, much more thoughtful. I hope to maintain this level,” said the Ballon d’Or winner in an interview with Fox Deportes. “Playing in a World Cup isn’t something that happens every day. It’s an honor for a professional footballer, as it’s where the best players and teams are. I hope to be part of that list and perform very well in this World Cup. I’m very excited about what’s to come,” added the 2018 World Cup champion and 2022 World Cup runner-up.

“We hope to go all the way”

“We are mainly focusing on ourselves,” the French forward later said. “For several years now, there has been a group of players who know each other very well. We need to perform well as a team. There isn’t much pressure because we were outsiders in 2018 and won the tournament. We were also among the favorites in Qatar and made it to the final. We are used to all of this; there is a lot of calmness.” Besides his serenity, Ousmane Dembélé also explained that there is a collective confidence within the French team.

“There are outstanding individuals. But even if we have all the best players in the world, if we don’t have a structured and cohesive team, it won’t work. That’s what we are mainly focusing on. The team comes first. We are preparing well for this World Cup, and we hope to go all the way.” The quest for a third star will begin on June 16 in New York against Senegal. In Group I, the French team will also face Norway and either Bolivia or Iraq, who will play a playoff match.