French forward Ousmane Dembélé has issued a warning about Lionel Messi and Argentina ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In an interview with Spanish outlet Marca, the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner praised his former Barcelona teammate, calling Messi the greatest footballer in history. Dembélé said that even at 38, Messi remains one of the most dangerous players in world football and that France must stay cautious because Messi still has the ability to win another World Cup.

Reflecting on France’s penalty shootout defeat to Argentina in the 2022 Qatar World Cup final, Dembélé said that the painful memory continues to inspire the team to perform better. He noted that both France and Argentina have changed since then, but the loss now serves as motivation for improvement.

Dembélé also defended France captain Kylian Mbappé, who has faced recent criticism over his leadership and performances. He argued that Mbappé is often judged too harshly and remains an exceptional player and person, suggesting that public scrutiny is amplified because of his fame.