Ousmane Dembele earns growing leadership praise at PSG

Ousmane Dembele’s influence at Paris Saint-Germain is drawing special praise from teammate Vitinha, who believes the French forward has long been a driving force in the dressing room, not just since taking on more responsibility.

The Portuguese midfielder highlighted how Dembele’s performances naturally inspire those around him and shape the team’s mentality.

“I would say he’s always been a bit of a leader, even when he wasn’t captain. When you have a guy who does what he does on the pitch, it’s contagious. He’s a kind of leader. After winning the Ballon d’Or, he has that status. But it’s a natural thing,” said the Portuguese midfielder.

Dembele heads into PSG’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Liverpool in excellent form after scoring a brilliant brace against Toulouse in Ligue 1 over the weekend.

His recent displays have strengthened the sense inside the squad that he is now one of the key reference points in big games and a symbol of PSG’s attacking ambition.