For years, Ousmane Dembele was viewed as one of football’s brightest attacking prospects, yet many felt he struggled to consistently fulfil his immense potential.
Following standout seasons with Rennes and Borussia Dortmund, the French winger secured a high-profile £135 million transfer to Barcelona in 2017, making him the second-most expensive footballer in history at that time.
At just 20 years old, Dembele faced enormous expectations. However, his early spell at Barcelona was hindered by frequent injuries and inconsistent form, leading some to question whether the Catalan giants had paid too much for his services.
After enduring a difficult period at the Camp Nou, Dembele made the move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 for a considerably lower fee of £43.5 million. Yet again, a challenge awaited him in Paris — this time, the presence of superstar teammate Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe’s influence at PSG meant Dembele often found himself playing a supporting role rather than taking centre stage. According to former France international Frank Leboeuf, Mbappe’s departure in 2024 proved to be a turning point in Dembele’s career, allowing him to flourish both on and off the pitch.
“Whenever I saw Ousmane play alongside Kylian for PSG, I always sensed a bit of an inferiority complex,” Leboeuf told FourFourTwo. “It felt as though he held back his own ability just to accommodate Kylian.”
Leboeuf’s comments seem to hold weight, considering Dembele’s remarkable rise in the past two seasons. Since Mbappe’s exit, Dembele has scored 55 goals and registered 27 assists, helping PSG continue their dominance in Ligue 1 while also securing back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles — the first in the club’s history.
The 29-year-old also reached the pinnacle of individual recognition by winning the Ballon d’Or last year. Leboeuf noted that Dembele’s story mirrors other cases in football where players have thrived after stepping out of the shadow of a global icon.
“That’s nothing new in football,” Leboeuf explained. “We saw the same thing happen with Karim Benzema at Real Madrid — it was only after Cristiano Ronaldo left that Benzema truly became the main man.”
Ed McCambridge
Staff Writer
