'He can win any trophy' - Dembele tips Messi to win another World Cup title

Dembele offered his insights into the leading title contenders as the French squad readies themselves for their first tournament match against Senegal.

France are scheduled to begin their Group I campaign against Senegal, with upcoming fixtures against Iraq on June 22 and Norway four days later.

Even though France carries high expectations after making it to the previous two finals, the winger identified the defending champions and their iconic captain as a major challenge.

In an interview with Marca, Dembele, who led PSG to their second Champions League title, was asked if a 38-year-old Messi could repeat his 2022 heroics. 

"Of course, he can win any trophy possible," Dembele stated. "I already saw what he could do during my time in Barcelona."

Dembele also acknowledged the pressure on his own team, Les Bleus, to perform. He stressed the importance of focusing on the initial stages of the competition before looking ahead to the knockout rounds.

"There are plenty of favourites. You know how it is—that label doesn't mean anything in football anymore," he explained. 

"We know that the French national team has reached the last two finals, so we will be a team under immense scrutiny. 

“But we remain focused on the objective. Before thinking about the round of 16 or the quarter-finals, we have to navigate the group stage matches properly."

Messi's Argentina will start their title defence in Group J against Algeria on June 17, with subsequent games against Austria and Jordan.