Dembélé sparks interest in Maza

Ousmane Dembélé spoke with young Algerian international Ibrahim Maza at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London on Monday evening. The Paris Saint-Germain player encouraged the promising 20-year-old attacking midfielder to aim for the prestigious individual award one day.

The ceremony, which was marred by several technical and organizational incidents, was chaotic. Problems specifically affected the players, who had to wait before they could reach the venue where the ceremony was being held. Conditions outside the theater were also far from ideal, with fans attempting to break through security barriers to get close to the red carpet.

After the trophies were presented, the problems continued: according to RMC Sport and other British media outlets, some players waited up to thirty minutes before they could leave the venue. Ousmane Dembélé complained to the organizers about the delay.