Ousmane Dembélé, who came on as a substitute at halftime in the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Ukraine (0-2), was taken off injured. This angered PSG, especially since the French striker arrived injured at Clairefontaine.

A victory but with damage. The French national team won 2-0 against Ukraine in Poland this Friday, for the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. A satisfactory result thanks to goals from Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappé, but one that can't hide a double setback: the injuries to Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé. This doesn't please PSG at all.

Starting player Désiré Doué was taken off at halftime after a calf injury and was limping as he left the stadium. His Parisian teammate Ousmane Dembélé replaced him at halftime. A surprise for the player who was a major doubt on Monday, when the team gathered at Clairefontaine. The Ballon d'Or favorite had given up his place during the Toulouse-PSG match last Saturday, with a hamstring injury in his left leg. This time, it was his right thigh that was the problem.

PSG didn't want him to play

According to our information, the Parisian club is furious because it warned the French team's medical staff that Ousmane Dembélé should not be played, even before the training camp began. Given the player's fatigue, Paris believed there was a high risk of injury. And the Blues' staff ignored this.

Even after the match, anger did not subside in the upper echelons of the Parisian club. A feeling of ignorance on the part of the French Football Federation prevailed. One rule was insistently reiterated: when a player is called up, he is obliged to go to the national team. This also applies to Ousmane Dembélé, despite the injury he sustained in Toulouse.

In a press conference, Didier Deschamps justified his decision, stating that the player was fit: "Otherwise I wouldn't bring him on! Plus, it's the other thigh. Even if he didn't feel anything violent. It's because he was in good shape. Unfortunately for him, it happened, it can happen to someone who has nothing before. But if I bring him on... otherwise I would have brought on another player. But given what he thought and the medical situation, there wasn't the slightest apprehension."

The coach, however, implied that the striker would probably not remain with the Blues for the match against Iceland.