Garrincha vs Ousmane Dembélé
Brazil against France. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Garrincha
Brazil · 1958–66 · RM
- Almanac rating
- 97
- Rank in Brazil
- #2 of 33
- Caps
- 50 · 17 goals
- Clubs
- Botafogo F.R., Associação Atlética Portuguesa, Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Brazil called him Alegria do Povo, and on 10 June 1962, with Pelé injured and watching, he took the quarter-final against England apart himself, heading in Zagallo's corner and then curling a second past Ron Springett. He won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962, took the Golden Ball and a share of the Golden Boot in Chile, and lost only one of his 50 matches for Brazil, his last, against Hungary in 1966. Career record: 50 caps and 17 goals for Brazil; club career at Botafogo F.R., Associação Atlética Portuguesa, Clube de Regatas do Flamengo.
Ousmane Dembélé
France · 2015–26 · RM
- Almanac rating
- 92
- Rank in France
- #7 of 33
- Caps
- 65 · 12 goals
- Clubs
- Borussia Dortmund, FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain
- Honours
- Ballon d'Or 2025
Twenty-five first-half minutes against Norway on 26 June 2026 brought Dembélé three goals, the fastest World Cup hat-trick in seventy-two years and the first of his France career. A World Cup winner with France in 2018, he took the 2025 Ballon d'Or after carrying Paris Saint-Germain to their first Champions League, and league titles in both Paris and Barcelona, plus the 2017 German Cup at Dortmund. Career record: 65 caps and 12 goals for France; club career at Borussia Dortmund, FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain; honours include Ballon d'Or 2025.
The verdict
The almanac puts Garrincha ahead by 5 rating points, 97 against 92.
Fans have not settled this one yet. Cast the first vote in the duels.