Ousmane Dembele’s rise over the last two years has been remarkable. Signed by Borussia Dortmund from Rennes for around €15 million last summer, the 20-year-old France international is now firmly established as one of the rising talents in the game and is poised to supplement Barcelona’s stellar attacking line-up by moving to Camp Nou this summer.
The youngster has made a terrific start to life in the professional game, which was further confirmed on Wednesday as he won the Bundesliga’s Rookie of the Year award.
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#1 A contract dispute nearly saw his young career jeopardised Rennes
On the verge of making his breakthrough into the Rennes squad, he refused to sign a professional deal with the club he had been with since he was 13. Although the Breton side knew his potential, Dembele claimed that they were not putting enough confidence in him.
“We were made to understand that it was going to be tricky, that he was too frail according to the staff of coach Philippe Montanier, who didn’t even think he was ready to train with the professionals,” representative Babou Sambague had said.
“In fact, there was a match between the pros and the youth team, which created more confusion and tension between the two parties.”
In the end, it took former Manchester United and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre, who was then the sporting director, to intervene to quell the issue.
#2 He has been tipped as a future Ballon d’Or winner
Despite that tricky start to his career, even before he was professional, Dembele exploded onto the scene in France, earning praise from all corners.
It was Silvestre, however, who paid him the biggest compliment possible. “I’m going to take a risk, but he could be a challenger to win the Ballon d’Or,” he explained in February 2016. “I saw Ronaldo sign for Manchester United at the same age and Ousmane has characteristics that remind me of a young Cristiano.”
Nevertheless, there were doubters, such as Rolland Courbis, later to become Rennes head coach, who said at the same time: “Dembele still needs a club like Rennes for at least the next two seasons to come.”
The youngster has very quickly proven the experienced boss wrong.
#3 Scoring has never been a problem for him
Before Kylian Mbappe exploded onto the scene in Ligue 1 this season, Dembele had previously set a remarkable scoring record in France’s top flight. When he found the net 10 times last season, he was the youngest player to do so since the 1990-91 season – the first under 19-years-old for close to 30 years.
A raft of great names failed to hit double figures in Le Championnat as quickly as he did. In fact, names like Michael Essien, David Trezeguet, Djibril Cisse, Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard, Anthony Martial and Thierry Henry were nowhere as prolific as Dembele at such a young ago.
When he scored a hat-trick in a local derby against Nantes, he was the youngest player to do so in France’s top flight since Jeremy Menez for Sochaux against Bordeaux more than a decade previous.
Of course, since then Mbappe has broken both of Dembele’s records.
#4 Followed in the footsteps of Franck Ribery
Such was the standard of football that Dembele displayed during his first full season in Ligue 1, he earned the award for the league’s Best Young Player. He scored 12 times and created an additional five assists.
In lifting the trophy, which was voted for by his fellow professionals, he followed the likes of Marco Verratti, Eden Hazard, Franck Ribery and Zinedine Zidane in claiming the award.
And like fellow winger Ribery, Dembele has gone to Germany to shine. Following his debut against Mainz, opposing defender Leon Balogun had said, “I spoke to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the game and said, ‘Wow! Who is this young man you’ve bought? He’s incredible.’”
In his first season at Dortmund, he amassed an impressive six goals and a further 12 decisive assists.
#5 Always seems to make his dreams reality
Dembele is a young man who has a habit of accomplishing his dreams. Initially, it was simply to be a professional footballer. However, such was his obsession with the game that he would carry a ball around with him literally everywhere he would go and would dribble it whenever possible.
Additionally, he regularly played futsal with older kids, often more than matching them. Little wonder, then, he is so good with it at his feet.
Indeed, the Normandy-born player was such a good dribbler, when he arrived in Rennes, his coaches had no idea whether he was left footed or right footed.
Since those days, his goals have increased. “One day I will play for Barcelona,” he proclaimed to Mundo Deportivo.
That is just another dream, it seems, that is close to coming true.
