Discipline, injuries & family – how Dembele turned career around

Ousmane Dembele has long had a big reputation.

The forward, who was once the second-highest player in history when he signed for Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in a £135.50 million deal in 2017, was once referred to by Barca president Joan Laporta as “better than Kylian Mbappe” in 2021.

A week later, then-new Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez said he was a player who, “when used properly, could be the best player in the world”.

After two months, Xavi removed him from the squad after being told by a Barcelona with tight budgets to accept a new contract with reduced terms or leave.

That story reflects his time at Barcelona, a six-year spell of inconsistency and unfulfilled potential.

In August 2023, the France international was bought by Paris St-Germain for just £43.5m, having scored 40 goals in 185 games and won three La Liga titles.

Now – with 10 goals in his past five games – he is currently Europe’s most in-form striker, drawing comparison to the likes of Lionel Messi, who scored 13 goals in four games in March 2012, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who hit 11 goals in four games in May 2011.

In their quest for their first Champions League trophy, PSG is also portrayed as their “trump card.”

The 27-year-old has made 18 goals in all of his previous 11 appearances for PSG, and he has scored more goals (18) than any other player in the top five European leagues.

Dembele was Barcelona’s most expensive signing at the age of 20, but his time there was plagued by both off-field issues and injury setbacks.

Despite being largely injury-free at Rennes and Dortmund, he sustained 14 muscle injuries at the Nou Camp, spending 784 days sidelined.

He trained quietly, which helped the club become the club’s most prestigious player in recent years, while his late nights due to gaming caused concerns about discipline and professionalism.

Still, when fit, his explosive pace and dribbling made him a game-changer, as he showed glimpses of the talent Barcelona invested in.

So what changed him?

Few people who are close to him claim that he changed after marrying his girlfriend Rima at a Muslim wedding in Morocco in December 2021, and shortly afterward that he had a child.

Many of his team-mates were unaware that he had a partner, which was a surprise at the wedding.

So the big changes to his life occurred in his last two seasons at Barcelona when, essentially, he grew up.

He frequently traveled to France to get specialized preventative treatments while working at home with a physiotherapist. With the eyes and mind of a father, he began to see things differently.

He finally recognized the value of good nutrition, and he has employed a French nutritionist to help him continue living a healthier lifestyle for the past few seasons.

Dembele, who was present at the time of Mbappe, always had a great sense of self-assurance and a great passion for the game. He arrived in Paris in August 2023 confident of his star power and success.

Without Mbappe, manager Luis Enrique told Dembele last summer that he needed more goals from him to go along with his numerous assists, giving the player the green light to approach the situation with less passing and more of a desire to score.

The coaching staff has frequently advised him in private that converting a sizable portion of his chances into success will result in personal honors and then recognition. The Ballon d’Or even.

He is enjoying playing his new tactical role and has taken it all into account.

Last season, he was mostly played on the right. He now operates as a false nine inside, where he gets to touch the ball more frequently, has more opportunities to receive passes and take part in the build-up, and has more finishing opportunities.

He enjoys discussing tactics, improving, and understanding the game. He is now completely different from how many people at Barcelona thought of him.

And the goals have flowed. His tally of 23 coming from all angles.

Dembele hasn’t had a smooth trip in Paris, though. Despite his quiet facade, he still has fire inside.

In September, following PSG’s 3-1 victory over Rennes, there was a heated exchange between player and manager – leading to Dembele’s exclusion from the squad for a subsequent Champions League match against Arsenal.

Luis Enrique emphasised the importance of players fulfilling their responsibilities to the team, saying: “When a player doesn’t meet their obligations, this is the sort of thing that can happen.

Even though it received a lot of criticism, I made the best decision not to play him against Arsenal in London. My best choice of the year is this. He did the rest himself. “

Dembele overreacted because the manager had spoken to him in front of the entire squad. Soon after he apologised.

Additionally, he was given a two-game suspension against Bayern Munich, which led to the incorrect conclusion that Luis Enrique had punished him.

Because the coach believed he was a little distracted and needed a mental rest, he was actually rested. Nantes and Auxerre were the only two teams that were unanticipated draws in those two games.

A video of the two men laughing and hugging each other was released this week.

Demble’s double goals in the first-leg victory over Brest earned him additional praise, according to Luis Enrique.

” Ask him what he has had for breakfast since Christmas! Actually those who see him regularly are not surprised, “he said.

Many have long held the idea that one of France’s heroes’ on-field accomplishments might determine PSG’s quest for the title of champion of the Champions League.