The fastest dribbler in football — two Champions League finals, consistent brilliance and persistent injury.
Ousmane Dembélé was born in Vernon, France in 1997. Dortmund paid £12 million for him and his one season produced the DFB-Pokal before Barcelona paid a potential £135 million — the second most expensive transfer in history at the time — in 2017. His Barcelona career was defined by extraordinary ability alongside extraordinary injury frustration — he missed over 200 days through muscle and hamstring injuries across six seasons, including an entire season in 2020-21. When fit he was consistently one of Barcelona's most dangerous players — his combination of pace (he has been measured at 35.4 km/h), dribbling skill and the ability to beat defenders on both sides making him genuinely unplayable at his best. He was part of France's 2018 World Cup winning squad as a 21-year-old. PSG signed him in 2023. His potential — widely described as unlimited by multiple Ballon d'Or winners — has remained partially unrealised, though his overall goal and assist contributions across his career are substantial.
Champions League (2015 squad, 2020 finalist)
Career Honours
- Champions League (2015 squad, 2020 finalist)
- Bundesliga (2017)
- La Liga 3x
- Copa del Rey 3x