Samuel Umtiti, the former defender who recently retired after playing for FC Barcelona (2016-2023) and the French national team (31 caps), spoke to DAZN after Ousmane Dembélé’s potential win of the 2025 Ballon d’Or. This gave him the opportunity to share a revealing anecdote about the 28-year-old Paris Saint-Germain and France striker, whom he knew from both Barcelona and the national team.
Umtiti: “He’s a good guy, but he’s like he’s just playing in the park down the street.”
“I supported you, I’m very happy, you’ve come a long way. We both know, you were always late, you weren’t very disciplined. He can’t deny it. It’s true that I had to call him in the morning to check if he was awake, if he knew that training was in the morning.”
“That’s what makes Ousmane, Ousmane. Seeing that he’s changed in Paris, that he’s matured, that’s great. He was carefree on and off the field. He didn’t realize he was at Barcelona. He’s a good guy, but he’s like he’s just playing in the park down the street (laughs).”
This doesn’t mean that Dembélé was doing anything wrong, but he wasn’t quite up to the standards of a top club and the highest level of football. It wasn’t a “bad attitude,” rather a relaxed approach. Which can be refreshing. You also have to maintain some enthusiasm, some carefree spirit. But there also has to be a certain level of seriousness.
Umtiti therefore helped keep Dembélé on track with the expectations at Barça, and he has taken it to another level recently, in his daily work as well. There’s no secret to it, talent alone isn’t enough. Although it didn’t seem like the striker was going there with the intention of relying solely on his talent; rather, he wanted to simply enjoy the game of football. Which is understandable.
