Deschamps backs Dembélé for Ballon d'Or '100%'

France caput manager Didier Deschamps has fixed his afloat backing to Ousmane Dembélé for the Ballon d'Or, up of his side's UEFA Nations League semifinal with a Spain broadside featuring different starring contender for the award, Lamine Yamal.

Dembele was named Champions League subordinate of the play aft helping Paris Saint-Germain triumph the rubric for the archetypal clip with a 5-0 drubbing of Inter Milan.

Much of the speech since Saturday's last has been astir the Ballon d'Or award, with galore seeing the PSG guardant arsenic the main rival to Spain and Barcelona's Yamal.

"Of people I americium for Ousmane, since helium is French and with the play helium is celebrating," Deschamps told reporters connected .

"Obviously, this Nations League tin bring immoderate elements of response, the Club World Cup too. If I person to choose, I archer you Ous, 100%, of course.

"If you inquire maine astir the Spaniards, I don't deliberation they volition archer you the aforesaid thing. But obviously, Ousmane, with the play helium is having, deserves it."

Despite being progressive successful the Champions League last astatine the weekend, Deschamps said helium expects to beryllium capable to telephone upon Dembélé on with PSG teammates Warren Zaïre-Emery, Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué and Lucas Hernández for Thursday's game.

Marcus Thuram and Benjamin Pavard besides played for the losing side, and determination has been small clip to retrieve earlier Thursday's crippled successful Stuttgart.

"They are here, truthful I americium counting connected them," Deschamps told reporters.

"I recovered them precise blessed connected Monday evening, of course, with a definite fatigue arsenic well. Then, determination were Benjamin and Marcus connected the different side. The feelings and emotions were not the same.

"Ideally, erstwhile determination is simply a highest similar that, of course, you ever person to travel backmost down, but now, we request to rapidly get backmost up due to the fact that the lucifer is close."

While Kylian Mbappé near PSG for Real Madrid astatine the extremity of past play without winning the Champions League, and ended this play without a league rubric successful Spain, helium was the apical scorer successful LaLiga and remains an important portion of Deschamps' plans.

"You cognize his play arsenic good arsenic I do. He is present successful precise bully signifier and with a overmuch amended footballing and carnal potential," Deschamps said.

"Nothing changes, Kylian volition person a cardinal position."

Germany and Portugal conscionable successful the different semifinal connected Wednesday successful Munich, and the last connected Sunday volition besides instrumentality spot astatine the Allianz Arena, the country of PSG's Champions League triumph.

Information from Reuters was utilized successful this report.