Ghanaian rap icon Sarkodie has shared the story of how he first met French forward Ousmane Dembele, who was crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner earlier this week.

The multiple award-winning rapper revealed that the encounter happened in New York in 2022 through his close friend, Dutch-Ghanaian star Memphis Depay.

At the time, Depay and Dembele were teammates at Barcelona and had travelled to the United States during their summer break.

Speaking on Lawson TV, Sarkodie admitted he did not initially recognise Dembele’s stature in world football.
“My friend is Memphis; I have even made a song with him which is yet to be released, so I was meeting him in New York and that was when I met Dembele. That was the only time we met,” he said.

Sarkodie explained that it was his own team who later informed him about Dembele’s status. “I really did not know about Dembele.

It was my team who prompted me about him and I had to even search about him. He is a cool guy and very down to earth. I even thought he was just a friend to Memphis… apparently, he was a superstar.”

Three years later, Dembele has become officially recognised as the world’s best footballer, winning the Ballon d’Or in Paris after a historic treble-winning season with Paris Saint-Germain.

Sarkodie praised the humility of the player he once met and said he intends to personally congratulate him on the achievement.

Meanwhile, the BET award winner is preparing to headline his annual Rapperholic Concert at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on Saturday, September 27, 2025.