Finally, Ousmane Dembele has delivered on the potential many thought we'd never see this season, and about bloody time too!
The beautiful game's biggest stage awaits
The Frenchman is set for the biggest game of his club career when Paris Saint-Germain take on Inter Milan in the Champions League final at the Allianz Arena. It's a chance for him to finally show he's not just a muppet who's been taking liberties with his talent all these years.
Free-flowing football and technically-gifted talent
Luis Enrique's side have earned countless plaudits for their free-flowing, attacking football during their remarkable European campaign, with their team filled with technically-gifted talent. But let's be honest, it's easy to look good when you're playing alongside some of the best players in the world.
Eight goals and four assists in the Champions League
At the forefront of this has been Dembele, who has fired in eight goals and provided four assists in the Parisians' path to Munich. Not bad for a player who many thought was just a flashy winger with no end product.
A contender for this year's Ballon d'Or
Should the forward help PSG to a first-ever Champions League triumph, it would round off a fine individual season which has seen him emerge as a contender for this year's Ballon d'Or. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, he's still got a lot to prove.
Ligue 1 Player of the Year and joint top-scorer
Dembele's exploits have already seen him claim one individual crown, recently being named Ligue 1's Player of the Year, having won the league whilst finishing as joint top-scorer with 21 goals. Not bad for a league that's essentially a one-horse race.
Six underwhelming years at Barcelona
This is an outcome few would have predicted when he first joined PSG in 2023, after an underwhelming six years at Barcelona left many thinking his career could end as another tale of wasted potential. But it seems the penny has finally dropped for the Frenchman.
At 28, the France international has finally arrived
At 28, the France international has finally arrived as the star he was tipped to become as a promising youngster. But let's be honest, if he hadn't done it by now, he probably never would have.
Compared to a young Cristiano Ronaldo
His potential was clear for all to see, with Rennes' then sporting director Mikael Silvestre comparing him to a young Cristiano Ronaldo. But let's not get carried away, he's not even close to being in the same bracket as the Portuguese legend.
Injuries hampered his early years at Barca
And despite his early years at Barca being hampered by injuries, causing him to miss a total of 80 games in three seasons, the Normandy native still managed to impress Lionel Messi. But let's be honest, impressing Messi is one thing, consistently delivering on the pitch is another.
Messi's advice finally paying off
And the Inter Miami captain's advice finally looks to be paying off, with Dembele adding end product to his game after hitting new heights since joining PSG in 2023. But let's not forget, he's still got a long way to go to reach the levels of the game's true greats.
A stunning year with a chance to round it off with a Champions League crown
This term has seen Dembele combine both goals and assists, having netted 33 times in all competitions and set up a further 13, with a chance now to round off a stunning year with a Champions League crown that would surely make him the Ballon d'Or favourite. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, he's still got to prove himself on the biggest stage of them all.
