Ousmane Dembele best World Cup bet boosts, top goalscorer odds and Golden Ball odds

Ousmane Dembele heads to North America as the reigning Ballon d’Or winner.

The problem is that very little of his extraordinary club form has translated to the international stage.

Dembele arrives after another sensational campaign with PSG, averaging a goal involvement every 71 minutes and helping the French giants retain the Champions League. Yet despite making 59 appearances for France, he has scored just seven goals, never found the net at a World Cup and never scored at a European Championship.

We’ll assess Dembele’s chances of finally turning his domestic dominance into international success, explore the markets that make most appeal and examine whether he can emerge from the shadow of Kylian Mbappe.

Ousmane Dembele betting odds

• Dembele to take home the Golden Boot at 40/1 with Paddy Power
• Dembele to win the Golden Ball at 25/1 with Betfred

Best Ousmane Dembele World Cup bet boosts

There probably won’t be a huge outpouring of offers and price boosts on Ousmane Dembele, largely because Kylian Mbappe will dominate that space for France. That said, France’s embarrassment of attacking riches could create opportunities elsewhere.

• Anytime goalscorer: Mbappe’s prices will be short, while Michael Olise‘s rapid rise in a France shirt means bookmakers are taking him seriously too. That could leave Dembele at more attractive odds than a reigning Ballon d’Or winner probably should be.
• First goalscorer: Similar logic applies here. France have goals all over the pitch and that should help keep Dembele’s odds honest. If he can finally translate his PSG form to the international stage, these prices could look generous.
• France top goalscorer: Dembele is available at 6/1, which feels more interesting than some of the major tournament markets. The challenge is obvious though. He needs to outperform both Mbappe and Olise over the course of the competition.
• Golden Ball: This is arguably the award best suited to Dembele’s profile. Unlike the Golden Boot, it’s not purely about goals and his overall influence on matches could come into play if France make a deep run.
• Shots on target: I’d be less enthusiastic here. Dembele’s goalscoring numbers are impressive for PSG, but he still isn’t a particularly high-volume shooter. He managed just 45 shots and 18 efforts on target in Ligue 1 last season, so I’d be wary of bookmakers hanging ambitious lines in this market.

Ousmane Dembele top goalscorer odds

This really does boil down to whether you’re an Ousmane Dembele believer or not. At 40/1, you’d be forgiven for thinking the bookmakers had made a serious error in their pricing.

The Ballon d’Or winner arrives after scoring 20 goals in 40 appearances for PSG despite missing 19 matches through injury. The year before that, he struck 35 times and played a pivotal role in PSG clinching back-to-back Champions League titles.

However, if you scratch a little deeper, 40/1 might well be correct.

The problem is that Dembele has simply never done it in a France shirt. He’s scored just seven goals in 59 appearances for Les Bleus, which is a remarkably poor return for a player operating in one of the strongest international sides in world football.

Then there’s the issue of his teammates, more specifically Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe is France’s undisputed talisman, takes penalties and boasts an outrageous World Cup record, winning the Golden Boot in 2022 after scoring eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final.

There’s also the emergence of Michael Olise, who has hit the ground running with seven goals in just 17 international appearances following a stunning 22-goal campaign for Bayern Munich.

There’s just too much going against Dembele for me. But if you think he can defy the odds, there’s certainly value in that 40/1 price.

Bet on Dembele to take home the Golden Boot at 40/1 with Paddy Power

Ousmane Dembele Golden Ball odds

There’s a slightly stronger argument for Dembele in this category at 25/1.

Unlike the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball isn’t purely about goals. It’s awarded by a panel of media representatives to the player deemed to have had the biggest impact on the tournament.

That gives Dembele a slightly better chance. His goalscoring record for France leaves plenty to be desired, but this award allows voters to consider a player’s overall influence rather than simply judging him on goals alone.

The Golden Ball is also almost exclusively reserved for finalists or winners of the competition, and that’s another point in Dembele’s favour with France arriving as one of the tournament favourites after reaching the last two World Cup finals.

Mbappe and Olise are both shorter in the betting, which tells you everything you need to know about how bookmakers view Dembele’s chances. It’s a strange thing to say about the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, but 25/1 feels about right.

Ousmane Dembele to win the Golden Ball at 25/1 with Betfred

France to win the World Cup odds

France are available at around 5/1 to win the World Cup, with only Spain shorter in the betting.

Les Bleus have reached the last two World Cup finals, winning the tournament in 2018 before finishing runners-up to Argentina four years later. They also possess one of the deepest squads at these finals with Mbappe, Dembele, Olise, Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola and Jean-Philippe Mateta in their artillery.

That’s important when assessing Dembele’s individual markets. Golden Boots and Golden Balls are far easier to win when your nation could potentially play eight matches en route to lifting the trophy.

France do face a tricky group containing Norway, Senegal and Iraq, however. That could limit their goalscoring opportunities compared to Spain, who look set to feast against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia.

Best ways to back Ousmane Dembele during the World Cup

If you’re a Dembele believer, these are the markets I’d be looking at.

• France top goalscorer: I’m not backing it myself but at 6/1, you’re getting a far bigger price than Mbappe and Olise, while avoiding the need for Dembele to outperform every other player at the tournament. Handy if France struggle like they did at Euro 2024.
• Anytime goalscorer: This is another market where Dembele’s price could be inflated. Mbappe will attract most of the attention, while Olise’s emergence means bookmakers aren’t sleeping on him either.
• Golden Ball/Golden Boot: I can see the argument for both, but I’d still need convincing. Dembele’s overall influence arguably gives him a better chance in the Golden Ball market, yet his France record remains difficult to ignore. Seven goals in 59 appearances, no goals at a World Cup and no goals at a European Championship are enough to put me off backing either.
• Bet Builder: Quite tempting to include Dembele in matchday Bet Builders. His prices are likely to be more generous than Mbappe’s and can be paired with more straightforward selections to boost the overall odds.

Ousmane Dembele previous World Cup record

For a player with a World Cup winner’s medal and a runners-up medal, Dembele’s record at major tournaments is surprisingly underwhelming.

The France forward has made 11 World Cup appearances across the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, yet has failed to score a single goal. His only contributions have been two assists.

It’s a similar story at the European Championship, where he has also failed to find the net.

Final verdict

It’s quite a frustrating story for punters and Dembele. The prices are certainly there, with some huge odds available on Dembele to collect a swathe of individual awards.

But at some point you have to stop looking at the PSG numbers and start looking at the France numbers.

If I had to get involved, I’d be looking at boosts, enhanced prices and match-by-match goalscorer markets. Dembele is clearly an elite finisher and his odds should remain attractive with so much attention focused on Mbappe and Olise.

About the author

Dean Etheridge

Dean Etheridge is an experienced freelance sports betting writer who specialises in football, cricket, and darts, with a keen focus on the Premier League and Champions League, as well as in-depth coverage of Premier League Darts and major tournaments. He can turn his hand to all aspects of the beautiful game and beyond, delivering expert analysis across a range of sports. He predominantly covers the Premier League and Champions League but can turn his hand to all aspects of the beautiful game. You can follow Dean on LinkedIn (@deanetheridge)

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