"
I don't think he is fully aware of the demands of the top level
."
Signed Didier Deschamps in 2018, about Ousmane Dembélé.
A tackle, not the first, nor the last.
Anthology.
Referring to his standoff in order to force a transfer from Dortmund to Barcelona, also in 2018, the coach had also castigated a "
behavior that is not right
", saying that the person concerned had to "
gain regularity
".
“
When you have had a serious operation, your body must be taken care of
,” he added a year later.
Non-exhaustive list, Deschamps having not failed to point the finger at his player's delays, attitude concerns... We're going on.
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If he had started in the 11 during the World Cup in Russia, against Australia (2-1), the Norman, whose talent has never been questioned, had watched the rest of the competition since the bench, or in any case in the shoes of a substitute, only starting with the hairdressers.
Status which he has not managed to depart from since, appearing in the 11 only once since the Russian campaign.
The fault of many injuries, but not only.
Read alsoThe decisive Mbappé-Lewandowski duel in the heart of France-Poland
The 3-5-2 in recent months hasn't helped him either.
Yet brilliant with Barça, Dembélé was not called up in June, only entering for 11 short minutes during the September rally, during the victory over Austria (2-0).
"
It's a question of competition and use in a system
," said the boss of the Blues in the spring.
Except that in the meantime, the system has changed.
Exit the defense with three, return of the back line with four elements.
For his part, the Barcelonan continued to chain high-level performances, rising "
practically to the level of the best Neymar
said Xavi, in September.
His statistics (5 goals and 7 assists in 20 matches) do not say everything about the level of the former Rennes player, who has been rid of his repeated physical glitches for more than a year and who is more twirling than ever.
Planets aligned
Clearly, the planets aligned at the best of times and Deschamps made him his starter on the right wing.
It was still necessary to show oneself worthy of this confidence on the meadow and outside.
"
He's a more built, more mature player, even if he's still a very happy person.
Because of the daily demands in the club, he is better
”, rejoices “DD”, who should, barring a last minute accident, trust him against Poland this Sunday (4 p.m.), in the round of 16 of the World Cup .
A role that obviously does not scare the 25-year-old, “
ambitious
” winger who wants to be “
protagonist
” in Qatar, after having had to sit on the passenger side in Russia.
"
In 2018, I missed my first match, it cost me my place.
This year, I want to start in this team.
The 2022 World Cup can be my moment
”, he proclaims, not failing to recall his desire to “
work to make a big World
Cup ” on the Doha side.
All good.
So far, it's off to a good start, even if he is still waiting to find the net, having delivered only one assist against Australia (4-1).
Beyond the statistics, Ousmane Dembélé brings a permanent danger on his right flank.
With Kylian Mbappé on the left, Olivier Giroud as a point of fixation and Antoine Griezmann ... everywhere, the opposing defenses are torn, stretched, they do not know which foot to dance on.
Faced with a team as vulnerable on the flanks as Poland, this could be the key...
Even if I miss a time or two, I have to keep trying, trying.
Ousmane Dembele
“
The coach asks me to be removed, to bring danger in one against one.
He gives me a lot of freedom and we change a lot with Antoine (Griezmann).
It moves a lot in the team.
The coach asks me to always try, to create opportunities
, ”he said of his instructions.
And to continue: “
Even if I miss once or twice, I must continue to try, to try.
»
Substitute during the "hairdressers" match, Ousmane Dembélé will regain his place in the starting 11 this Sunday, in the round of 16, against Poland.
FRANCK FIFE / AFP
Didier Deschamps says nothing else: “
He always has this ability to create enormous problems for the opponent with his speed, his percussion, by making sure to reduce waste as much as possible.
On this type of player, you have to give him some while being as efficient as possible.
“The former captain of the Blues can savor: while trying to provoke, Ousmane Dembélé knows how to stay in the nails.
Read alsoWorld Cup: "I see the Blues pass easily", swears Luis Fernandez before France-Poland
Attack, yes.
But not everything.
He does it with tact, without putting the collective balance in danger.
A discipline that we did not necessarily know about the native of Vernon.
Discipline that he also applies defensively, even if his teammate in Catalonia Jules Koundé's main mission is to lock this corridor.
“
Impressive?
Frankly ?
Yes !
He recovered balls... I watch Barça matches from time to time and he doesn't defend as much (smile).
On his volume, he impressed me and we hope he will continue like that
, ”marveled Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouameni, after the victory over Denmark (2-1).
You never know if it will go left or right.
Youssouf Fofana
Obviously, it is above all his qualities with the ball that Dembélé impresses the most.
Elusive.
Air.
Boiling.
His ability to eliminate in one against one has little equal.
Add to that a mule strike, an ability to cross hard and well, and you have a weighty asset for the France team.
Enough for there to be no debate with Kingsley Coman.
“
It's impressive because you never know if he's going to go left or right.
We don't know where to take him, we don't know what to do
, underlines Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana
.
If we come too fast, he eliminates us with a hook.
»
In fact, this is the trajectory we imagined for Thomas Tuchel's former colt when he left Rennes for Dortmund (€35m in 2016), then Dortmund for Barcelona (€140m in 2017).
If life is not a long calm river, neither is Dembélé's career.
Read also“I want to start in this team”: Ousmane Dembélé’s (great) ambitions with the Blues in Qatar
Learning the hard way.
“
Since 2018, I have had difficult years.
I got a little older, I'm 25, I have more maturity in my game and off the field
, "he swears, agreeing that his lifestyle may not have not always been the one that the very high level requires.
“
Between 19, 20, 21 and 25, a lot of things change, you gain in maturity.
The question of lifestyle comes up a lot but now we have to erase it, because a lot of things have changed.
Afterwards, I didn't have the lifestyle you imagine either, it wasn't a party, but more mature, taller, more responsible.
It changes
,” he explains.
It changes everything.
It was time.
Chamberlain and ambiancer
For the rest, Ousmane Dembélé remains the joker who bedrooms, who laughs, who makes people laugh in the locker room.
Unless a cat bursts in, as his comrade Randal Kolo Muani did not suggest… “
I don't know if I'm a unifier but I like the good atmosphere, that everything is going well in the team.
It is important that everyone gets along
, he notes
.
In 2018, it was the group that won, not individuals.
We were united, together, we laughed, we were serious, there was a good balance.
We must do the same this year in Qatar.
But the coach takes me above all for my qualities as a footballer, that's the first thing that counts.
The rest comes after.
It is up to him to continue on this momentum, on these tracks.
It's up to him.
Women footballers team France, World Cup 2022
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