BBC Sport reported that Ousmane Dembele's social-media connection with Winchester City was reignited after the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London on Monday. Winchester City manager Craig Davis described the club's latest interaction with Dembele.
The 2018 connection
BBC Sport reported that Dembele digitally took Winchester City to the top of the English game in Football Manager while representing France at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. In a video posted by the France national team on social media during the tournament, Dembele is seen sat on a plane with France team-mate Antoine Griezmann as they joke about bringing the World Cup to Winchester.
Fresh contact after the ceremony
Davis told BBC Radio Solent: "We had a bit of back and forth with him at the time, but obviously since then it all went quiet."
Davis said: "One of our media team had a ticket to be on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony."
Davis said: "He took a Winchester shirt with him and posted a photo of it on social media with Ousmane Dembele in the background."
Davis said: "Dembele actually replied to it with some emojis and it's kind of blown up a bit since then. It's a bit of a tenuous link but we're going to claim it anyway because it's a good link!"
Ballon d'Or results
Dembele, 29, came seventh in the men's Ballon d'Or award this year, 12 months on from winning the 2025 Ballon d'Or himself after leading Paris St-Germain to a Champions League, Ligue 1 and Coupe de France treble. Harry Kane won the men's Ballon d'Or award this year.
Winchester City's position
Winchester City play in the Isthmian South Central Division. They currently sit third having played 14 matches and have won five of their past six league games. Asked whether Dembele could be invited to Winchester in future, or even whether he could turn out for the club one day, Davis said: "This has certainly reignited the fire. We'll try our best to get some more response out of him. You never know do you."
Davis added: "But, I don't think a seven-day notice of approach is going to do the job to try and get him to sign for us!"
