Without unnecessary pomp, yet with a confident sparkle in his eyes, Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique welcomed us right after the 4–0 thrashing of Real Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final. The conversation quickly shifted to the evening’s main star—Ousmane Dembele—whom the Spaniard already openly sees as the future Ballon d'Or winner.
“He Keeps the Locker Room Energized”
— Mr. Enrique, what prompted you to name the front-runner for the season’s most prestigious individual award so early?
— I’ve watched Ousmane mature tactically and psychologically. He doesn’t just beat opponents with pace—he sets the tempo for the whole team, triggers the counter-press first, and never switches off until the final whistle. In this form he is miles ahead of his closest competitors.
Tactical Breakdown of the Triumph over Real
— The turning point was your decision to move Dembele closer to the No. 10 space. Why?
— We wanted to overload the middle and force Real to defend narrow. Ousmane found the pockets between the lines, which led to the third goal. His game intelligence lets me morph our shape: the 4-3-3 we show on paper easily turns into a 3-2-5 in the attacking phase.
“Humility Is His Middle Name”
Ousmane joins the interview later, holding the match ball in his hands.
— Did you hear your coach’s words about the Ballon d'Or?
— Club trophies matter more to me. If our football brings an individual award—great, but right now I’m thinking only about the final.
Looking Ahead: The Final Against Chelsea
Enrique admits he has already reviewed the latest GPS-tracking data of the London side.
— Chelsea pushes its back line aggressively, but we’re used to breaking down a high block. The key is to stay fresh and focused.
— Still, Mr. Enrique, if you lift the trophy on 13 July, will that be the decisive argument for Dembele?
— The final will lend weight to any discussion. But honestly, even today everyone can see that Ousmane is the season’s best player. And 2025 will be the year of his personal triumph.
