At 28 years old, Ousmane Dembélé has achieved one of the greatest honors in world soccer: winning the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his career. The French winger’s sensational season with Paris Saint-Germain, where he lifted the Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and UEFA Champions League trophies, earned him the award after years of potential and perseverance.
Following his victory, Dembélé sat down with FourFourTwo magazine, where he reflected on his time at Barcelona and the influence of Lionel Messi, now starring with Inter Miami.
“I had a very good relationship with Messi from day one. My locker was right next to his, and he gave me a lot of advice. He always instinctively knew what you needed,” Dembélé recalled.
The PSG forward went on to reveal the single piece of advice that he says transformed his career: “Messi told me to be serious if I wanted to reach my dreams. After that, I started to watch him closely and learn from what he did on the pitch.”
Dembélé joins Lionel Messi as the only winners of the award in PSG’s history.
Messi’s influence still inspires
Dembélé didn’t hold back when asked about his admiration for Messi: “For me, he’s the greatest of all time. He inspires me. He’s unique. I’m very happy and proud to have played with him.”
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This praise underscores how Messi’s legacy extends beyond his own achievements, continuing to shape the careers of those who have had the privilege of sharing a locker room with him.
Messi congratulates Dembélé
The story came full circle shortly after Dembélé’s win. On social media, Messi publicly congratulated his former teammate with a heartfelt message: “Great Ous!!! Congratulations, I’m very happy for you. You deserve it.”
The interaction quickly went viral, with fans celebrating not only Dembélé’s personal milestone but also the enduring bond between two world-class players.
