Zidane faces a brutal choice: Dembélé's future on the line
A few months after reaching the peak of his career, Ousmane Dembélé discovers that his status guarantees him absolutely nothing in the French national team, while manager Didier Zidane will soon have to decide his future. First used in the centre and then shifted to the right flank, the Ballon d’Or has failed to replicate under the blue shirt the influence he acquired at PSG.
Disappointing performance against Belgium
Promoted to captain in the absence of Kylian Mbappé, Dembélé had the perfect opportunity to assert his authority, but he delivered a particularly sloppy performance: five attempts, none on target, and 22 ball losses, the worst total of the match. One of those losses even fed the move that allowed the Belgians to take the lead.
Zidane publicly protects the player
Substituted as early as the 60ᵗʰ minute, Dembélé saw Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Désiré Doué completely transform the look of the French. Despite the rating of 3 given to the forward, Zidane said: “I found Ousmane very good. He was dynamic, he tried, there is no problem. He was exemplary.” This assessment contrasts with the player’s very limited effectiveness.
Zidane defends Dembélé after Puel's criticism of Belgium's defeat
The stakes with Mbappé’s arrival
Mbappé’s return could turn everything upside down. Zidane will then have to make a major decision, as Olise now seems indispensable on the right, Doué has made his mark on the left, and Cherki can operate freely behind the striker. A Doué‑Mbappé‑Olise trio is becoming increasingly credible, relegating Dembélé, despite his Ballon d’Or, to the role of the main victim of this new hierarchy.
After 71 caps, Dembélé has only 13 goals for France, a record that no longer guarantees his place. Zidane no longer hides his admiration for Olise’s game intelligence, but he acknowledges that the player’s prestige will probably not be able to eternally protect a spot that his rivals are seriously beginning to contest.