Barcelona's France attacker Ousmane Dembele has paid tribute to Argentina captain Lionel Messi ahead of Sunday's World Cup final.

The pair played together when Messi was with Barca.

"I arrived at 20 years old and I wanted to do everything by myself," Dembele admitted.

"He gave me calmness, he told me there was a time to dribble and a time to give passes.

"I spent four very good years at Barcelona, he is one of those who made me love Barcelona along with [Andres] Iniesta. In the dressing room he is very simple, he loves the young players.

"I used to sit next to him in the dressing room and he has helped me a lot. We have to try to make sure he touches the ball as little as possible because he is very dangerous."

So far he has linked up well with Antoine Griezmann and Jules Kounde.

"On the right is also Kounde," he said, when asked about his good connection with Griezmann.

"We talk a lot together. Antoine told me at Barcelona that he liked to play as a [no.] six and eight".