Larque Critiques France's Use of Dembélé Ahead of World Cup

Jean-Michel Larque, a former French midfielder, criticized the French national team for their handling of Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Speaking before France's opening match against Senegal on June 16, Larque stated that it is foolish for the team not to play Dembélé in his natural position.

He expressed concern that the team’s strategy sacrifices the player’s strengths, particularly noting that Kylian Mbappé should not be positioned on the left while Dembélé is utilized inappropriately. Larque referred to this decision as indicative of the team's poor judgment, labeling them as "the biggest fools." He highlighted Dembélé's impressive performance at Paris Saint-Germain, where he scored 20 goals and registered 11 assists in 40 games across all competitions.