Ousmane Dembélé arrived in 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.Dembélé 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 61 appearances for France, he has scored just eight goals – his strike against Iraq was his first at either a World Cup or at a European Championship, which seeems unfathomable.We’ll assess Dembele’s chances of following that up and finally turning his domestic dominance into international success. We’ll explore the markets that make most appeal and examine whether he can emerge from the shadow of Kylian Mbappé.Ousmane Dembélé betting oddsDembélé to take home the Golden Boot at 100/1 with Paddy PowerDembélé to win the Golden Ball at 40/1 with BetVictorBest Ousmane Dembélé World Cup bet boostsThere probably won’t be a huge outpouring of offers and price boosts on Ousmane Dembélé, largely because Kylian Mbappé will dominate that space for France. That said, France’s embarrassment of attacking riches could create opportunities elsewhere.Anytime goalscorer: Mbappé’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 Dembélé 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 Dembélé’s odds honest. If he can finally translate his PSG form to the international stage, these prices could look generous.France top goalscorer: With Mbappé already bagging four goals against Senegal Iraq, Dembélé’s price has stretched to 66/1. It would take some tournament from Dembélé to beat the Real Madrid man.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. Dembélé’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 oddsThis really does boil down to whether you’re an Ousmane Dembélé believer or not. At 40/1 before the tournament – and 100/1 now – 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.The problem is that Dembélé has simply never done it in a France shirt. His goal against Iraq was just his eighth in 61 appearances for Les Bleus, which is a remarkably poor return for a player operating in one of the strongest international sides in world football.Part of that could be down to his teammates, more specifically Kylian Mbappé.Mbappé 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 Dembélé for me. His odds in this market, after just two games, have more than doubled from 40/1 to 100/1. But if you think he can defy the odds, there’s certainly massive value in it. Bet on Dembele to take home the Golden Boot at 100/1 with Paddy Power Ousmane Dembélé Golden Ball oddsThere’s a slightly stronger argument for Dembélé in this category at 40/1.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 Dembélé 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 Dembélé’s favour with France arriving as one of the tournament favourites after reaching the last two World Cup finals.Mbappé and Olise are both shorter in the betting, which tells you everything you need to know about how bookmakers view Dembélé’s chances. It’s a strange thing to say about the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, but 40/1 feels about right. Ousmane Dembélé to win the Golden Ball at 40/1 with BetVictor France to win the World Cup oddsFrance are available at around 5/1 to win the World Cup, alongside European champions Spain 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 Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise, Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola and Jean-Philippe Mateta in their artillery.That’s important when assessing Dembélé’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.Best ways to back Ousmane Dembele during the World CupIf you’re a Dembélé believer, these are the markets I’d be looking at.France top goalscorer: I’m not backing it myself but at 66/1, you’re getting a far bigger price than Mbappé and Olise. Essentially, however, with the rate at which Mbappé is going, this could essentially be the same as betting on the Golden Boot! Anytime goalscorer: This is another market where Dembélé’s price could be inflated. Mbappé 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. Eight goals in 61 appearances before the tournament, 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 Dembélé in matchday Bet Builders. His prices are likely to be more generous than Mbappé’s and can be paired with more straightforward selections to boost the overall odds.Ousmane Dembélé previous World Cup recordFor a player with a World Cup winner’s medal and a runners-up medal, Dembélé’s record at major tournaments is surprisingly underwhelming.The France forward made 11 World Cup appearances across the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, and didn’t 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 verdictIt’s quite a frustrating story for punters and Dembélé. The prices are certainly there, with some huge odds available on Dembélé 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. Dembélé is clearly an elite finisher and his odds should remain attractive with so much attention focused on Mbappé and Olise.World Cup 2026: More from talkSPORTWorld Cup 2026 Betting offersWorld Cup 2026 Betting tips and predictionsWorld Cup 2026 AI predictionsWorld Cup 2026 Betting guideWorld Cup 2026 Top goalscorer oddsEngland to win World Cup 2026 oddsWorld Cup 2026: Best young player oddsAbout the authorDean EtheridgeDean 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. 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