Dembélé sends message to Deschamps on his position for 2026 World Cup

Ousmane Dembélé spoke to newspaper Marca to clear up questions about his positioning with the French national team, four days before the 2026 World Cup kicks off against Senegal.

The question has been debated for weeks: the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, accustomed to playing as a false number nine under Luis Enrique at PSG, is typically deployed on the right flank by Didier Deschamps. A choice that sparks debate, especially since Kylian Mbappé occupies the central role and some believe the Madrid player would be more effective on the left, where his pace and ability to break through would be better exploited.

Dembélé chose to end the speculation. “I can do a bit of both. In March, I played in that position too, when the manager set up a system where the attackers moved around a lot and we didn’t have many players in the French team capable of playing on the right, left, or as a centre-forward,” he recalled.

The PSG forward then explained the collective logic guiding this tactical choice. “We also try to destabilize the opponent a bit and be less predictable to have many more options. And yes, with the French team, I can play on the left, right, or in the centre, a bit like at Paris Saint-Germain.” A clear message to Deschamps: his versatility is a weapon, not a constraint.

This flexibility could prove valuable in the French squad as it begins its World Cup campaign Tuesday evening against Senegal.