Affected by frequent injuries and fluctuating performance, Ousmane Dembélé did not leave a notable mark in Spain during his six seasons with Barcelona (2017-2023). But three years after his departure to join Paris Saint-Germain, he has become a completely different player, and he will try to prove it when France faces Spain on Tuesday in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup.

Dembélé enters the anticipated match on Tuesday against the European champions carrying the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world, after helping lead Saint-Germain to their first UEFA Champions League title last season, before also carrying them to retain the continental title this season.

Despite some notable flashes and winning three La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey trophies, the player who has become one of the brightest stars of the French attacking arsenal today did not leave a legacy on the other side of the Pyrenees.

There is no doubt that the number '7' player secretly dreams of being the one to dash the hopes of the Spaniards in this edition of the World Cup, in a beautiful redemption after the difficult times he experienced in the Iberian neighbor.

And this hypothesis does not seem far from reality given the new status he has achieved with Saint-Germain, and the pivotal role he currently plays in the national team after many years spent in secondary roles. Dembélé is far from the striker who was seen as completely unaware of the demands of high-level football, who was criticized for his lack of professionalism and inability to translate his immense talent into consistent performance. He arrived in Catalonia in August 2017 from German club Borussia Dortmund at just 20 years old, in a massive deal worth €145 million, with the arduous task of compensating for the departure of Brazilian Neymar to Saint-Germain. But Dembélé missed 144 matches for Barcelona due to various injuries and physical problems, and ended his experience with relatively modest numbers (40 goals in 185 matches across all competitions), in a career described as a wasted opportunity.

With the French national team, the forward who graduated from the Rennes Academy also took a long time to assert himself. Despite being crowned world champion in 2018 as a substitute, he failed to convince followers in the following years, at a time when Kylian Mbappé, two years younger, was stealing the spotlight globally.

The real turning point in his career came with his move to Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023. There, Spanish coach Luis Enrique gave him the keys to the team and complete freedom to play in a hybrid role combining right winger, playmaker, and false nine. The success was remarkable; his two successful Champions League campaigns (2025 and 2026), along with winning the Ballon d'Or in 2025, finally brought him into the club of the game's biggest stars.

To complete this transformation, he also had to become a key element in the French national team, which was achieved during the 2026 World Cup. At the age of 29, Dembélé (65 international appearances and 12 goals) has become one of the leaders of 'Les Bleus,' forming alongside Mbappé and Michael Olise a terrifying attacking trio. After failing to score in all four previous knockout rounds he played in major tournaments with France before this World Cup, he now has 5 goals in the current tournament, silencing all his critics. Didier Deschamps never gave up on him, but rather defended him strongly, which contributed to his brilliance in this World Cup campaign within the 1-3-2-4 attacking formation adopted by the national team coach. Deschamps said after the first goal scored by the Saint-Germain player against Iraq during the group stage (3-0) on June 22 last year in Philadelphia: 'There is no problem with Ousmane. He just needs to adapt again to a system where he doesn't play all season. I trust him. He doesn't doubt himself. He is a decisive player. Ousmane has this ability. This is good for him and for the French national team above all else.'

And after qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals for the third consecutive time, Dembélé appears at the peak of his form, ready to spoil the summer of Spanish fans. He said on Thursday after the quarter-final win over Morocco (2-0): 'It's exceptional. I feel very comfortable in this position that I know well. I am improving gradually during this tournament. I am happy with my performance even though I can do better. But the most important thing is the team. We are focused on our goal, and we will try to go all the way.'