As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches another week closer, the tournament is just a few months away and another star player heading to the Meadowlands to compete is being put in the spotlight. This week, the player getting the focus is Ousmane Dembélé, a forward and right winger for France. Dembélé is widely regarded as one of the most talented players in the world and has already had success in the FIFA World Cup.
Dembélé began his senior career at Rennes, a French club that plays at the country’s highest tier of football. On Nov. 6, 2015, Dembélé made his debut for the club’s first team and scored his first league goal on Nov. 22. His skills continued to improve at the club, as he scored his first hat trick a few months later, on Mar. 6, 2016.
On May 12, 2016, Dembélé signed a five-year contract with German club Borussia Dortmund, debuting for the club on Aug. 14. On Sept. 20, he scored his first goal with the club in a 5-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg. A month later, on Nov. 22, he scored his first career goal in the UEFA Champions League in an 8-4 victory over Legia Warsaw in the group stages.
In the 2016-17 DFB-Pokal, Germany’s annual football competition, Dembélé recorded an assist on the equalizing goal and scored the winning goal in the semi-finals to send his club to the final match. In the championship game, Dembélé scored the first goal in a 2-1 victory, earning the honors of being named man of the match. Dembélé’s impressive season led to him being named to the Bundesliga Team of the Season and winning the Rookie of the Season award.
Dembélé’s impressive rookie campaign drew the attention of some of the world’s most renowned clubs, including Barcelona of La Liga, where he signed on Aug. 25, 2017. Dembélé made his debut for Barcelona on Sept. 9, 2017 in a 5-0 win over Espanyol, recording an assist. After battling injuries, Dembélé scored his first goal with the club on March 14, 2018 in a Champions League match against Chelsea. In his first season with Barcelona, the club won the Copa del Rey and La Liga, marking a successful start to his career there.
In the 2018-19 season, Dembélé finished with 14 goals, as Barcelona found its way to another La Liga title. Injuries derailed the remainder of Dembélé’s tenure with the club, preventing him from playing to the best of his abilities.
On Aug. 12, 2023, Dembélé joined Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain on a contract set to last through June 2028. On Aug. 20, Dembélé made his debut for the club in a 1-1 draw against Toulouse. On Nov. 24, he scored his first goal with the club in a 5-2 victory over Monaco. In his first season with the club, he continued his winning ways as Paris Saint-Germain claimed the Ligue 1 title.
On Jan. 29, 2025, Dembélé recorded a hat trick in a 4-1 Champions League victory over VfB Stuttgart, the second of his career. Three days later, Dembélé scored another hat trick, this time in a 5-2 win over Brest, becoming the first Paris Saint-Germain player to record a hat trick in consecutive matches. Dembélé went on to win the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, playing a significant role in the club’s victory. Dembélé contributed to 12 goals throughout the competition, the most by a player for a French club in a single campaign.
Dembélé finished the season as the joint-top scorer in Ligue 1, recording 21 goals, as Paris Saint-Germain claimed another league title. He was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year and earned a spot on the Ligue 1 Team of the Year. At the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Dembélé contributed to his team’s run, scoring a goal in the quarter-finals, as well as adding another goal and assist in the semi-finals. His team would eventually fall, however, to Chelsea in the finals, which were held at MetLife Stadium.
Dembélé’s impressive 2024-25 campaign led to him being a frontrunner for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, an award that honors the best soccer players in the world. Dembélé went on to win the award, finishing above other notable names, such as Lamine Yamal, Cole Palmer and fellow French teammate Kylian Mbappé.
Dembélé’s career with France spans over nearly a decade, as he made his debut for the country on Sept. 1, 21 against Italy in a friendly match. On June 13, 2017, Dembélé scored his first goal for France in a 3-2 friendly victory over England. While he was not a regular starter, Dembélé was named to France’s 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which the team would go on to win.
When France returned to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Dembélé was a more experienced player and played in all of France’s tournament games as a result. France eventually went on to fall to Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
This year, Dembélé will look to continue his impressive feat of reaching the finals in every FIFA World Cup that he has participated in. As the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, Dembélé’s impact is expected to be much greater than it has in his past two appearances in the tournament. France is currently ranked as the second-best team in the world and will be coming to MetLife Stadium on June 13 to take on Morocco. As Dembélé and France look to reach the FIFA World Cup final for the third consecutive time, another appearance would mean that the team is travelling to MetLife Stadium, where the final match is being held.