For a young player to rise to become the world's best, they need qualities that go beyond raw talent. Ousmane Dembélé, 27, has now achieved that status after years of hard work and perseverance, earning him the title as the top male player in the world.
When researching players ahead of his professional debut at Rennes eight years ago, I focused not only on their football skills but also other attributes such as resilience, adaptability, decision-making, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback, and willingness to learn. One player stood out from the rest - Dembélé, then a youth player yet to make his first-team appearance.
Throughout his journey, Dembélé had several key coaches who helped shape him into the world-class player he is today. Thomas Tuchel, his coach at Borussia Dortmund, described him as "curious-motivated", someone capable of greatness who needed training in a unique way. This coaching style suited Dembélé's talent, which made him stand out from other players.
However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the French winger. He moved to Barcelona in 2017 but struggled with injuries and found himself playing a limited role under new coach Ernesto Valverde. His time at Barca was marked by inconsistency, and his departure seemed like a relief for everyone involved.
Fast-forward to last season, when Dembélé began to flourish under the guidance of Luis Enrique. Initially, he was tasked with replacing Kylian Mbappé's goals but soon became the main man. With no pressure to perform, Dembélé quietly took control of games, setting the tone with his pressing, vision, movement, pace, and finishing.
Dembélé's exceptional performance over the past year has led him to earn the title as the world's best male player. While we can't see all the qualities that contribute to a player's greatness, Dembèle's enduring attributes - resilience, adaptability, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback, and willingness to learn - have played a significant role in his success.
The symmetry of Dembélé's achievements this year is striking. He has scored 30 goals, with many of them being decisive and iconic. His ability to pick up the ball and spread it wide to create opportunities for others or score himself has been particularly impressive. Dembélé's willingness to drop deep and start the press, as well as his ruthless finishing, have made him almost unbeatable on the pitch.
While we can't pinpoint a single factor that makes a good player great, Dembèle's story is a testament to the importance of these intangible qualities. By embracing his strengths and adapting to new situations, he has become one of the world's best players.
When researching players ahead of his professional debut at Rennes eight years ago, I focused not only on their football skills but also other attributes such as resilience, adaptability, decision-making, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback, and willingness to learn. One player stood out from the rest - Dembélé, then a youth player yet to make his first-team appearance.
Throughout his journey, Dembélé had several key coaches who helped shape him into the world-class player he is today. Thomas Tuchel, his coach at Borussia Dortmund, described him as "curious-motivated", someone capable of greatness who needed training in a unique way. This coaching style suited Dembélé's talent, which made him stand out from other players.
However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the French winger. He moved to Barcelona in 2017 but struggled with injuries and found himself playing a limited role under new coach Ernesto Valverde. His time at Barca was marked by inconsistency, and his departure seemed like a relief for everyone involved.
Fast-forward to last season, when Dembélé began to flourish under the guidance of Luis Enrique. Initially, he was tasked with replacing Kylian Mbappé's goals but soon became the main man. With no pressure to perform, Dembélé quietly took control of games, setting the tone with his pressing, vision, movement, pace, and finishing.
Dembélé's exceptional performance over the past year has led him to earn the title as the world's best male player. While we can't see all the qualities that contribute to a player's greatness, Dembèle's enduring attributes - resilience, adaptability, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback, and willingness to learn - have played a significant role in his success.
The symmetry of Dembélé's achievements this year is striking. He has scored 30 goals, with many of them being decisive and iconic. His ability to pick up the ball and spread it wide to create opportunities for others or score himself has been particularly impressive. Dembélé's willingness to drop deep and start the press, as well as his ruthless finishing, have made him almost unbeatable on the pitch.
While we can't pinpoint a single factor that makes a good player great, Dembèle's story is a testament to the importance of these intangible qualities. By embracing his strengths and adapting to new situations, he has become one of the world's best players.
! He's defo proof that hard work & perseverance pay off big time 
. I mean, who wouldn't wanna be known as the top male player in the world right now? 
The fact that he's got so many intangible qualities like resilience, adaptability, and a strong work ethic is just inspiring 
. And let's not forget how his coaches have helped shape him into the player he is today - Thomas Tuchel's coaching style was pure genius 
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. I mean, who would've thought that the dude who struggled at Barca would now be dominating on the pitch? 
His consistency and willingness to learn are huge factors in his success - we should all take note of that 
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. Can't wait to see what the future holds for Dembélé!
. I mean, who wouldn't want to be able to pick up a ball and create something out of nothing like he does on the pitch? 
His story's got me thinking - what are some things we can apply to our own lives to level up our productivity & achieve greatness? Maybe it's time for us to rethink what success means to us & focus on building those intangible qualities 
his coaches have played a huge role in his success esp Thomas Tuchel who described him as "curious-motivated" 
I mean we cant see all the qualities that make a player great but Dembèle's got it all 
resilience, adaptability, creativity, work ethic...the list goes on 
. Like, u say his coach Thomas Tuchel said he was curious motivated but what about all the other coaches he's had thru out his career? Didnt they all have something 2 say about him? And whats w/ this notion dat he just "quietly took control" of games? Did he ever actually struggle w/ that? I think its time 2 give Dembélé some real credit but also let's not oversell his greatness 
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. Not bad for a guy who struggled at times, right?
. He must've had some amazing coaches along the way, like Thomas Tuchel, who helped him tap into his unique talent.
It's not easy to deal with injuries and a limited role, but Dembélé used that as an opportunity to work on himself. He eventually found his footing under Luis Enrique and now he's unstoppable 
️! His ability to read the game and create scoring chances is insane. I'm also loving how he's not afraid to drop deep and press the opposition - it's like he's a conductor leading his teammates onto the pitch 
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. He's had to work on all these intangible qualities - resilience, adaptability, creativity... you name it! And look at him now - he's the best of the best 
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. He's got that extra gear when he drops deep and starts pressing, making him almost unbeatable! And let's not forget those 30 goals - many of which were game-changers 