Soccer-Cat-ar not cat-shy Dembele's purrfect World Cup country

France's players have generally been happy at the World Cup in Qatar although one, Ousmane Dembele, has found it hard to adjust to one feature on the streets of Doha - stray cats. "Ousmane is scared of cats.

France's players have generally been happy at the World Cup in Qatar although one, Ousmane Dembele, has found it hard to adjust to one feature on the streets of Doha - stray cats.

"Ousmane is scared of cats. There are cats strolling around and he's scared of them. It makes everyone laugh," his team mate Randal Kolo Muani told a news conference on Thursday.

Forward Dembele will have to steel himself for potential feline encounters for at least four more days until France take on Poland on Sunday in the last 16.