The transition to the new year definitely rhymes with renewed efficiency and an increasing level of play for Ousmane Dembélé. A year after launching 2025 with a deliverance symbolized by a late achievement which brought the Champions Trophy to PSG against Monaco, the Ballon d’Or began 2026 in the same way, with the goal in the blood and a performance full of promise, this Sunday evening at the Parc des Princes.
This derby against Paris FC (2-1) was to serve as a launching pad for number 10 and allow him to really start a season that had so far been without relief, apart from his prestigious trophy won on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet. The mission was more than fulfilled for Ousmane Dembélé who delivered a very serious performance and who stood out, in particular, with a goal scored in the second period (53rd). If he had already found the net on a penalty during the last match of the year 2025 in the 32nd final of the Coupe de France against the amateur club Vendée Fontenay, this 5th achievement of the 2025-2026 financial year, only the 3rd in Ligue 1, where he had not scored since August, comes at the right time and puts him on the right track.
From the outset, we felt that the 2018 world champion was on his feet and both in the right lane of attack and in the center, he embodied a constant threat by being at the origin of the majority of his team’s chances. By the way, by his stalls, by his inspirations, Dembélé was a real detonator, as rarely since August. Which delighted his coach Luis Enrique who appreciated the content of the performance offered by his player, released in the 70th minute of play.
“He has regained his level”
“Am I happy to have found the real Dembélé? This is what we are waiting for. This is Ousmane’s best match this season, said the Asturian. He has regained his level. It’s important to manage your minutes. We are playing a first title on Thursday (the Champions Trophy against OM). This is why he did not play the 90 minutes. »
Good in his head, good in his body, Dembélé in any case gave the impression of having regained juice and rhythm after having experienced five frustrating first months marked by various glitches (hamstring, calf, virus). This Sunday evening, the number 10 played only his 15th match of the season, a figure which testifies to an obvious lack of influence on the results of his team of which he was the leader during the first part of the year.
While we were waiting to see the true face of the best player in the world again, Désiré Doué confided after the meeting that he never had any doubts about his partner. “Ousmane, you know he is exceptional. This evening, he helped us a lot, he has a very important role in the team, explains the other scorer of the evening. He’s a leader, he had another very good match. »
From now on, the staff expects continuity from their leader and the repetition of this type of performance. For PSG, the month of January promises to be a busy month with six other matches to be played in 24 days including a highly anticipated Champions Trophy against Olympique de Marseille on Thursday in Kuwait, another derby in the Coupe de France and two Champions League matches (Sporting Portugal and Newcastle). The sequence is perilous but with the return of Ousmane Dembélé, who practically has recruitment value, before approaching important deadlines, PSG knows itself to be stronger and even more unpredictable. The month of January 2025, during which he scored nine goals, put him into orbit and laid the foundations for a legendary second part of the season. Repeat in 2026?
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