A friendly bet between Ousmane Dembele and a watch seller has inspired one of the best individual campaigns in Europe this season. Now, the Paris Saint-Germain forward is only a goal and a win in the Champions League final away from landing a valuable collection of timepieces.
At the start of the season, Dembele’s closest friend, Moustapha, promised the France international the pick of any watch in his shop if he scored 30 goals this season. The 28-year-old had never reached the milestone in his career and looked unlikely to do so in 2024-25 until a stunning haul of strikes started in December. Dembele has scored 33 goals for PSG this season, in addition to one more for France, but wanted to add extra value to his bet with Moustapha.
According to the BBC’s Champions League preview podcast, Dembele has increased the stakes of the bet. If he scores in a PSG win over Inter today, he will choose four watches from the shop and take them home free of charge.
Dembele’s remarkable season, in which he had scored only five goals in all competitions before December 15, has seen him suggested as a potential Ballon d’Or contender. However, he is desperate to land the Champions League.
"When you are a PSG player, what's important is to take home the silverware such as the Champions League," he said ahead of the final in Munich. "I am focused on the team, not individual trophies. It [Ballon d'Or] is in the back of mind, but I want to focus on the team.
"Since January, we have really had a change of mindset and we want to continue now and get the victory and we are very excited about the game.
"Inter is a wonderful team that deserves to be in the final. They are physical, know how to defend, how to get up front, so we have a strong opponent. I've prepared well for this final. Since I was a kid, I've been dreaming of playing in this game.
"We have to remain concentrated on the game, on the team, on myself. I hope we'll be able to produce a fantastic performance."
The goals have dried up ever so slightly recently. Dembele has scored just once in his last nine appearances. Ending that drought with a goal and a win against Inter will land him a hugely lucrative prize.