Ousmane Dembele

Ousmane Dembele is a French professional footballer who plays as a winger for La Liga side FC Barcelona and the France national team. A two-footed player by nature, the Frenchman possesses tons of pace and is superb at dribbling past opponents. At the moment, he is one of the fastest players in the world.

Early Life

Ousmane Dembele was born on May 15, 1997, in Vernon, Normandy, France. As a child, Dembele started playing soccer at a young age, and his talent was quickly noticed by local clubs. He started his youth career at Évreux FC 27 before joining the youth academy of Stade Rennais FC in 2010.

Club Career

On 6th September 2015, Dembélé made his professional debut for Rennes' first team in Ligue 1 against Angers and came off the bench in the last five minutes. He played for one season before being signed by Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2016. At Dortmund, Dembele became an instant sensation and played a key role in the team's attack, helping them reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

After only one season at Dortmund, Dembele was signed by FC Barcelona in August 2017, for a then-club-record transfer fee of €105 million. His first season at Barca was marred by injuries, but he showed glimpses of his potential and scored some crucial goals, including the winner in the Copa del Rey final.

In the following seasons, Dembele struggled with injuries and inconsistency, but he continued to show flashes of brilliance when fit. In the 2022-23 season, under manager Xavi Hernandez, he has played a key role in Barcelona’s resurgence. He has scored key goals and they are currently on course to win this season’s La Liga.

International Career

Dembele has represented the French national team at various youth levels before making his senior team debut in 2016. He was a part of the French team that won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2016, where he played a key role in their attack.

He made his debut on 1 September against Italy where France won 3-1. On 13 June 2017, Dembele scored his first France goal in a 3–2 friendly victory against England. He was subsequently included in France's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where he played in several matches and was part of the team that won the tournament.

He was also included in France’s squad during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, however, failed to have an impact in the final as they lost to Argentina 4-2 in the penalty shootout following a thrilling 3-3 draw in normal time.

Records

• • Dembele holds the record for the most expensive transfer involving a French player, with his move from Dortmund to Barca surpassing the previous record set by Paul Pogba's transfer from Juventus to Manchester United.

  • In September 2017, Dembele scored his first goal for Barcelona in a La Liga match against Getafe, becoming the first French player to score for the club in their debut season since Thierry Henry in 2007.

  • In the 2016-17 season, Dembele provided 12 assists in the Bundesliga, the most by any teenager in a single season in the league's history.

Awards and Achievements

Personal Life

Dembele is Muslim and has spoken about the importance of his faith in his life. He is known for his love of video games, and he has spoken about how he likes to relax by playing games with his friends.

He is also interested in fashion and has been known to make bold fashion statements both on and off the pitch.

Net Worth

As of 2023, his net worth is estimated to be around $35 million.

Family

Ousmane Dembele grew up in a family of soccer players. His parents are both from Mali, and they moved to France before he was born. His father, Seydou Dembele, played soccer at the amateur level, while his older brother, Yassine Dembele, also played professionally in France.

Wife

He married a Moroccan woman in a traditional Moroccan ceremony in France in December 2021, and they have a daughter, who was born in September 2022.

Houses

He has a house in Barcelona, Spain, where he has been living. However, he reportedly put the house on rent amidst speculations of his exit from Barcelona.