Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembélé has taken a non-linear path to the top, defying expectations along the way. When journalist looked at young talent in 2014, Dembélé was just one of five players from France being considered for greatness. However, his journey to superstardom was not without its challenges.
The key to Dembélé's success lies in qualities that are difficult to quantify - resilience, adaptability, decision-making, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback and willingness to learn. While these attributes cannot be seen on the pitch, they have been instrumental in his development as a player.
Dembélé was identified by coach Thomas Tuchel as a 'curious-motivated' talent who needed to be trained differently than others. This category, alongside aggressive- and binding-motivated players, referred to those capable of greatness. Tuchel felt Dembélé fit into this category, but the road to his success was far from smooth.
After joining Barcelona in 2017, Dembèle struggled with injuries and inconsistency. His potential was squandered during six injury-plagued years at the club, where he scored only a handful of goals and lost momentum. The decision to leave Barcelona marked a turning point for him, as it allowed him to rediscover his game.
At Paris Saint-Germain last season, Dembélé's coach Luis Enrique gave him a new lease on life by abandoning the idea of replacing Kylian Mbappe with another star player. This approach liberated Dembèle, allowing him to flourish without distractions. As he matured into his role, his vision, movement and pace set a high standard for his teammates.
The recent success of Paris Saint-Germain has culminated in Ousmane Dembélé being named the world's best male player by the Guardian. While factors like team chemistry and coaching were undoubtedly important to his success, it's also clear that Dembèle possessed qualities at 17 that have continued to drive him forward.
The answer to the question of what makes a good player great lies in a combination of intangible attributes, including teamwork, coaching and personal development.
The key to Dembélé's success lies in qualities that are difficult to quantify - resilience, adaptability, decision-making, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback and willingness to learn. While these attributes cannot be seen on the pitch, they have been instrumental in his development as a player.
Dembélé was identified by coach Thomas Tuchel as a 'curious-motivated' talent who needed to be trained differently than others. This category, alongside aggressive- and binding-motivated players, referred to those capable of greatness. Tuchel felt Dembélé fit into this category, but the road to his success was far from smooth.
After joining Barcelona in 2017, Dembèle struggled with injuries and inconsistency. His potential was squandered during six injury-plagued years at the club, where he scored only a handful of goals and lost momentum. The decision to leave Barcelona marked a turning point for him, as it allowed him to rediscover his game.
At Paris Saint-Germain last season, Dembélé's coach Luis Enrique gave him a new lease on life by abandoning the idea of replacing Kylian Mbappe with another star player. This approach liberated Dembèle, allowing him to flourish without distractions. As he matured into his role, his vision, movement and pace set a high standard for his teammates.
The recent success of Paris Saint-Germain has culminated in Ousmane Dembélé being named the world's best male player by the Guardian. While factors like team chemistry and coaching were undoubtedly important to his success, it's also clear that Dembèle possessed qualities at 17 that have continued to drive him forward.
The answer to the question of what makes a good player great lies in a combination of intangible attributes, including teamwork, coaching and personal development.
. And don't even get me started on the team chemistry thing... it feels like an excuse to me. It's all about individual talent and hard work, imo 
. It's like they're expecting us to just sit back and admire their skillz without putting in any effort 
. And have you seen the prices of PSG tickets lately? Forget about it! 
. It's always something with these players... just when we think they're on top, another injury or transfer rumors pop up 
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. I mean, he's not just got the skillz, but also the mental toughness to keep pushing himself and adapting to new situations. It's a great reminder that it's not always about raw talent, but about the hard work and resilience that goes into becoming a top player 
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anyway back 2 dembélé he seems like an amazng person tho, all his struggles and stuff make him relatable 
i feel like he needs a docu series or somethin to show ppl how he overcame everything 
Ousmane Dembélé is like a study case for any athlete 
. i love how he's finally found a team that lets him shine without distractions 
but it's clear he learned from those experiences & came out even stronger 
and to think he was always seen as a 'curious-motivated' talent by coaches like Tuchel 
what a testament 2 his determination & growth! 
. And let's be real, PSG's coaching staff did some magic by giving him space to shine without all the pressure of replacing Mbappé 
. His rise to being named world's best male player is a testament that hard work, resilience, and adaptability can take you places 
. I'm curious to see what's next for this talented young man! 
. He's shown that even when things aren't going his way, he can pick himself up and try again 
. I mean, think about it - he was struggling to make an impact at Barcelona for six years, but then he got a fresh start at PSG and suddenly everything clicked 
. That takes a lot of courage and determination, so kudos to him!