Ousmane Dembele has been Paris Saint-Germain’s breakout star of the 2024–25 season, playing a pivotal role in the club’s historic treble, capped off with a UEFA Champions League victory over Inter Milan. But as PSG gears up for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, the club has received an unsettling injury update on its marquee player.
Just five days after lifting the Champions League trophy, Dembele featured for France in their UEFA Nations League semifinal clash against Spain. The forward was substituted in the 76th minute by Didier Deschamps, visibly uncomfortable and sparking immediate concern about his fitness.
Following the match, France’s medical staff confirmed that Ousmane Dembele sustained a muscular injury to his left quadriceps. Diagnostic tests revealed the extent of the damage, prompting his withdrawal from the squad for the remainder of the international break.
Adding to France’s injury woes, another wide option has also been ruled out. Bradley Barcola, seen as a potential replacement for Dembele, picked up a knock to his right knee and was also deemed unfit for the third-place match. As a result, both players have returned to France for further evaluation.
France is scheduled to face Germany in the Nations League third-place match on Sunday, ahead of the highly anticipated final between Spain and Portugal. Given the limited stakes of the bronze medal game, Deschamps opted to send Dembele and Barcola back to Paris to prioritize their recovery ahead of the Club World Cup.
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Race against the clock for the Club World Cup
Dembele’s injury is a major setback for PSG. In the build-up to the Champions League final, head coach Luis Enrique singled out the winger as the team’s on-field leader: “Dembele has been one of the best players of the season, if not the best one. He scores, he passes, he fights, he defends, and that’s the real mentality — that’s a leader.”
With the Club World Cup rapidly approaching, Dembele faces a race against time. According to French media reports, the Ballon d’Or contender will undergo further testing in Paris to determine if he’ll be fit in time to feature in the tournament’s group stage in June.
PSG is slated to kick off its campaign on Sunday, June 15, against Atletico Madrid, followed by matches against Botafogo on June 19 and Seattle Sounders on June 23. Drawn into a challenging Group B, PSG could feel Dembele’s absence sharply if he’s unable to recover in time.
