PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé Recalls Honest Moment With Lionel Messi at Barcelona

Ousmane Dembélé is emerging as a top contender for the Ballon d'Or following an exceptional 2024-25 season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), where he played a pivotal role in the team's attack and helped secure a historic treble, including the Champions League.

Dembélé's performance was outstanding, with 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions, showcasing his crucial contribution to PSG's success. His efforts have placed him at the forefront of early discussions for the prestigious award.

Another strong candidate is Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, who, despite being a teenager, made a significant impact with 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 matches. Yamal guided Barcelona to the league title, Copa del Rey, and Supercopa de España, firmly establishing himself in the Ballon d'Or conversation.

In a recent interview with FourFourTwo, Dembélé reflected on his past, particularly his time at Barcelona and his relationship with Lionel Messi. He joined Barcelona at the age of 20 in a record-breaking deal, signed to replace Neymar after his move to PSG for €222 million.

Dembélé shared that he had a very good relationship with Messi from the start, with his locker next to Messi's, and received valuable advice. Messi emphasized the importance of seriousness in achieving dreams, and Dembélé learned from Messi's exceptional positioning and instinct on the pitch, noting how Messi could seem invisible at times but always knew what to do with the ball.