Ousmane Dembele commented about his former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi ahead of France’s World Cup final against Argentina in 2022. It was the South American country that triumphed on the night, winning on penalties (4-2) after a 3-3 draw that went to extra time.

However, the Paris Saint-Germain winger was asked about the threat that Messi poses ahead of this big tie. Speaking about the 37-year-old Inter Miami sensation, he told reporters at the time (via GOAL):

“He’s an exceptional player, one of those who made me love Barcelona along with Iniesta. I spent four great years with him. He’s a normal guy in the dressing room, he helps young players. He gave me a lot. He’s difficult to control and we’ll have to do everything we can to make sure he touches the ball as little as possible.”

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Dembele made the move to Camp Nou in the summer of 2017 from Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of €135 million. He went on to play 95 matches across competitions for the Blaugrana alongside Messi and racked up 15 joint goal contributions in the process.

Messi was, of course, the man who made the difference in that World Cup final in Qatar. He bagged a brace in this tie, scoring from the spot in the first half and then netting again in additional time. It also marked the first time that the Barcelona legend got his hands on the highest honor in international football.

Lionel Messi discusses possible return to Barcelona after retirement

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is most well known for his contributions to Barcelona, where he made 778 appearances across competitions, scoring 672 goals and bagging 303 assists. He first joined the club in 2000 and remained there till the summer of 2021.

Messi managed to win 10 La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies, among other honors, at Camp Nou. Claiming that he could return to Catalunya, he told Barcelona’s media team (via FourFourTwo):

“My kids were born there. I spent my whole life living there. I feel I belong to Barcelona. My family and I always think about the possibility of returning to live there one day. My children, my wife and I miss our life there a lot. We miss our friends.”

It looks unlikely that Messi will ever play for the Blaugrana once again. However, he may choose to reside there once his contract with Inter Miami expires in December 2025.