Ousmane Dembélé has played alongside some of the best in the world, but when it comes to naming the absolute greatest, the Paris Saint-Germain star doesn’t hesitate for a second. In a stunning new interview, the French winger declared Lionel Messi — now 38 and plying his trade in MLS — the undisputed king of the sport, and insisted the Argentine icon is far from finished.
“He’s the best I’ve ever seen, the greatest footballer of all time,” Dembélé told Marca. “Even at 38, he’s still a real threat. Hard to stop. It doesn’t matter where he plays or how old he is — those qualities never go away.”
Dembélé, 29, who shared a dressing room with Messi at Barcelona and faced him on the biggest stage, is reportedly one of the few players who can speak with true authority on the Argentine’s enduring brilliance. Insiders say the PSG forward’s comments have sent a ripple through the football world, especially with the next World Cup looming.
“He can win every trophy there is,” Dembélé added, raising the stakes. Sources close to the French national team suggest his warning is being taken seriously inside the camp. After all, it was Messi who single-handedly shattered France’s dreams in the 2022 final, scoring twice and converting his penalty in a shootout that still haunts Les Bleus.
That painful night in Qatar — December 18, 2022 — remains fresh in the minds of the French squad. According to team insiders, the memory of Messi lifting the trophy is a driving force behind their hunger for redemption. “They’d love nothing more than to give him a taste of his own medicine,” one source close to the team told us. “But they know it won’t be easy. Messi at 38 is still Messi.”
With the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner showing no signs of slowing down, Dembélé’s warning feels less like praise and more like a prophecy. Could the Argentine legend really do it again? According to those who know him best, never count him out.
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