Lizarazu sounds the alarm, Dembélé must become more decisive

On the Téléfoot set, the focus turned to Paris Saint-Germain as, during the international break, Ousmane Dembélé faced sharp criticism for his performances with the French national team. Despite the doubts, manager Zinedine Zidane said the striker satisfies him.

Nuanced analysis by Lizarazu

Bixente Lizarazu offered a more nuanced analysis of the Dembélé case. While he had supported the idea of keeping the Vernon native at the forefront of the French attack, he now believes the player must be more decisive in front of goal.

“Dembélé, in relation to Zinedine Zidane’s desire to implement a very high press, is the best player you can have. Because he’s the first man up front, because he sets the tempo,” Lizarazu said on the Téléfoot set. He added that, as the centre‑forward of the French team, he needs to score more.

“A player like Kylian Mbappé, we know he is very effective at scoring goals but, defensively, he doesn’t contribute much,” Lizarazu continued, highlighting the difference in role between the two forwards.

Lizarazu’s remarks place additional pressure on Dembélé, who must reconcile Zidane’s high‑pressing demands with the need to score more often. The debate over his effectiveness could influence the French team’s tactical choices in upcoming matches.