Fatimata Dembélé, mother of Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, has spoken publicly for the first time about her son’s journey.
In a rare interview with Le Parisien on 22 September, Fatimata described herself as discreet, preferring to blend into stadium crowds without attention. She insisted that her son’s global fame has not changed their family values.
“I am not someone who shows myself,” she said. “When I go to see my son at the stadium, I can be in the middle of the crowd without anyone knowing I am Ousmane’s mother. My life has changed, but we remain simple people.”
Fatimata recalled her son’s early obsession with football, stating he “always had a ball at his feet” and often ignored schoolwork. She revealed that she worked long hours to fund his training and education.
“Since he was little, it was only football in his head. I worked hard to pay for his school, his football, always at 200%,” she said.
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Her sacrifices, she explained, have been repaid in full. “If I have a nice car today, it is thanks to him. He takes care of me just as I once cared for my parents.”
Family values amid football stardom
Furthermore, she recounted important memories, including Ousmane’s teenage dream that he would one day play for Barcelona. Yet the Ballon d’Or, she admitted, once felt unattainable.
“Barcelona, yes, he spoke about it. But the Ballon d’Or, that was something else entirely. Even I did not imagine it,” she said.
Still, she expressed no surprise at his current success, calling his Champions League triumph with Paris Saint-Germain the fulfilment of another long-held dream.
“Paris was a second dream for him,” she said. “When he won the Champions League, I thought it was normal because he had always wanted it. Nothing surprises me about what happens to him.”
Conclusively, Fatimata Dembélé’s speech moved the Ballon d’Or story. Her words bring to life a global performance, telling everyone that football’s greatest achievements originate from ordinary struggles and family devotion.
