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France Face Worrying Ousmane Dembele Trend Ahead of 2026 World Cup

France Face Worrying Ousmane Dembele Trend Ahead of 2026 World Cup

Summary

France is considered a favorite to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, boosted by the strong performance of Ousmane Dembele, who won the 2025 Ballon d'Or. However, a pattern shows that since 2002, no player who won the Ballon d'Or before the World Cup has won the tournament, raising questions about whether Dembele will break this trend.

Key Facts

  • The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams and begins in Mexico with Mexico playing South Africa.
  • France finished second in the 2022 World Cup and is among the favorites for 2026, alongside Spain.
  • Since 2002, no Ballon d'Or winner has gone on to win the World Cup in the same tournament.
  • Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d'Or and several major awards while playing for Paris Saint-Germain.
  • Dembele has recovered from past injuries and is now one of the top attacking players in soccer.
  • Previous Ballon d'Or winners include Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Karim Benzema, none of whom won the World Cup following their award.
  • Dembele is a key player for France and may compete for the World Cup’s Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament.
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