Ousmane Dembélé: "We are one of the top candidates. Deschamps is special, Zidane would be the perfect choice"

Ousmane Dembélé, striker of the French team, made remarkable statements about the team's ambitions at the 2026 World Cup. He said: "There are many candidates for the championship, and the candidate label no longer has much meaning. There are many teams capable of winning this tournament. But we know that France has reached the last two World Cup finals, so there will be many expectations from everyone about us. We We will focus on our goal. Before thinking about the round of 16 or the quarterfinals, we must get through the group stage in the best way."

Speaking about Spain, Dembélé commented: "We had a lot of difficulties facing this team. They are an excellent team with a team play style and have top players. We understand this squad very well and they will definitely be one of the teams to watch out for in this tournament. They are also the top contenders for the championship."

When asked about the playing style between France and Spain, he said: "It can be said that there are two different styles. Spain has played like that for many years and always has excellent players. We also have a strong squad that likes to keep the ball. All of our players are playing for big clubs and participating in top tournaments. I believe that these two styles are different. In Spain, keeping the ball is very natural. It will be interesting to play. Let's see what happens. This World Cup will not be easy for either France or Spain."

Dembélé also spoke about the defeat in the Qatar final: "No, although it left us with great disappointment. It has been four years and many things have changed in the French team. I believe Argentina has gone through the same thing. It is a memory that we still remember well, but it also pushes us to do better at this World Cup."

Regarding the possibility of coach Didier Deschamps leaving the team and Zidane's appearance, Dembélé said: "Didier Deschamps has contributed a lot to the French team over the years. He has played an important role for all of us. Personally, he is the only coach I have ever had on the team. He always gives great advice and is always there to congratulate or encourage us. He is a great coach. His achievements with the team The French team is excellent: a World Cup, a Nations League and many finals. Despite the disappointments, he will always have a place among the greatest coaches in France's history and we hope to finish this journey well. He and his team share one ambition: to reach the end of the tournament, because nothing is easy.

Finally, when talking about Zinedine Zidane, Dembélé shared: "I had the opportunity to play against him when he was coaching Real Madrid and I played for Barcelona. He is a legend, a true symbol of French football. He is an excellent coach, who won three consecutive Champions Leagues with Real Madrid. We hope to be able to welcome him one day on the coaching bench of the French team. I believe he will do a great job, because he has the ability qualities of a winner."

Dembélé also emphasized that winning the World Cup again is the biggest dream: "Yes, it is the highest thing a professional player can aspire to. Winning the World Cup with the national team is the most important title you can imagine. Lifting that trophy again would be a dream. But, as I said, we have to maintain focus because the level of competition is very high."