Barcelona icon Ronaldinho makes feelings clear about Ousmane Dembele ‘revealing himself’ at PSG this season

Modified Apr 08, 2025 09:53 GMT

L to R: Ousmane Dembele and Ronaldinho (All images sourced from Getty)

Barcelona legend Ronaldinho heaped praise on Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Ousmane Dembele for "revealing himself" at the club this season. The Frenchman signed for the Parisiens from Barcelona in the summer of 2023 for a reported €50 million.

Ousmane Dembele came to prominence while at Borussia Dortmund (2016-17) for his impressive form. This led to his blockbuster move to Barca in the summer of 2017 for a reported €145 million, as a potential replacement for Neymar Jr. However, the Frenchman underperformed for the Catalans, recording 40 goals and 41 assists in 185 outings across competitions. His time at the club was also marred by frequent injuries.

This season, Dembele appeared to have regained his stupendous form at PSG. The French winger has recorded 32 goals and eight assists in 40 outings across competitions for the Parisiens this season. He also led them to the Ligue 1 title and the Champions League quarter-finals.

In an interview with L'Equipe, retired Barcelona and PSG superstar Ronaldinho appreciated Ousmane Dembele's form at his former club this season. He said (via GOAL):

"I don't like to compare much. I mainly look at my old teams and those that are still in the Champions League. There's Ousmane Dembele at PSG. I like him a lot. He has a slightly Brazilian style!"

Ronaldinho continued:

"He's disconcerting, he invents, he provokes. He's often unreadable and, what's more, he scores a lot of goals. He's revealing himself, bursting into a different role than he did at PSG last year or at Barca before that."

Paris Saint-Germain are big contenders to win the Champions League this season under Luis Enrique. If Dembele can continue his exceptional form, he could also rank high in the Ballon d'Or rankings.

Barcelona legend Ronaldinho names Lamine Yamal as a "precocious talent"

In his aforementioned interview with L'Equipe, Ronaldinho also spoke highly of Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal. At the young age of 17, Yamal is often considered among the best footballers in the world today. The Brazilian said of Yamal (via Forbes):

“He’s a precocious talent. I also love watching him for his inventiveness. He needs to confirm that he will do a good job, but he will be a big one for sure.”

Lamine Yamal has contributed 13 goals and 19 assists in 42 appearances for the Catalan giants across competitions this season. Barcelona are also contenders to win the Champions League, LaLiga, and the Copa del Rey. If Barca win big, the 17-year-old Spaniard could also be among contenders for the Ballon d'Or.

About the author

Pratyasha is a Pop Culture and a European Football writer for Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and has over 3 years of experience in the pop culture industry. Throughout her career, Pratyasha has always emphasized detailed background checks, and believes in verifying all information regardless of how correct it may seem.

Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his hard work and dedication. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray's cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she's a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.

When Pratyasha's off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.

Know More

Edited by Sankalp Srivastava