Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembélé: A Study in Quiet Greatness
When you look at a great player, it's easy to get caught up in their stats, awards, and individual accolades. But what really sets them apart? Is it just about the numbers, or is there something more intangible that makes a good player truly great?
For years, I've been searching for answers to this question, starting back in 2014 when I first wrote about the Next Generation of French talent. One player who has consistently impressed me over the years is Ousmane Dembélé, the talented winger who has finally reached his full potential.
So what makes a good player great? According to my research, it's not just about raw ability or technical skill. Rather, it's about qualities like resilience, adaptability, decision-making, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback, and willingness to learn. These are the intangible attributes that separate the good players from the truly great ones.
Dembélé was always a player with immense talent, but it wasn't until he found the right system and coach at Borussia Dortmund that his full potential began to emerge. The German club's coach, Thomas Tuchel, recognized that Dembélé was a curious-motivated talent who needed to be trained in a specific way. Under Tuchel's guidance, Dembélé developed into one of the most feared wingers in the world.
But Dembélé's journey has not been without its challenges. His time at Barcelona was marked by frustration and disappointment, as he struggled to live up to his promise under different coaches and systems. In 2017, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain, where he finally found the right team and coach in Thomas Tuchel once again.
Under Tuchel's guidance, Dembélé has blossomed into one of the most dominant players in the world. His vision, movement, pace, control, and positioning set the tone for his teammates, while his finishing is ruthless. He starts the press, picks out passes with ease, and creates scoring opportunities that few others can.
So what makes Dembélé great? Is it his stats and accolades, or is there something more to it? For me, it's about understanding the intangible qualities that set him apart from other players. It's about recognizing the chemistry between a player and their team, the relationship with their coach, and playing in a system that brings out the best in every player.
Dembélé's exceptional 2025 season is a testament to these qualities. With 30 goals scored so far this calendar year, he has become an unstoppable force on the pitch. His most decisive moment came against Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, where he picked up the ball, spread it wide to his teammate Bradley Barcola, and sprinted into the box to score.
The answer to what makes a good player great is not always easy, but Dembélé's story provides some valuable insights. It's about understanding the intangible qualities that set great players apart from others. And for me, Dembélé's well-deserved prize of being voted the best male player in the world by our voting panel is as much a recognition of these attributes as it is for his goals and trophies.
When you look at a great player, it's easy to get caught up in their stats, awards, and individual accolades. But what really sets them apart? Is it just about the numbers, or is there something more intangible that makes a good player truly great?
For years, I've been searching for answers to this question, starting back in 2014 when I first wrote about the Next Generation of French talent. One player who has consistently impressed me over the years is Ousmane Dembélé, the talented winger who has finally reached his full potential.
So what makes a good player great? According to my research, it's not just about raw ability or technical skill. Rather, it's about qualities like resilience, adaptability, decision-making, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback, and willingness to learn. These are the intangible attributes that separate the good players from the truly great ones.
Dembélé was always a player with immense talent, but it wasn't until he found the right system and coach at Borussia Dortmund that his full potential began to emerge. The German club's coach, Thomas Tuchel, recognized that Dembélé was a curious-motivated talent who needed to be trained in a specific way. Under Tuchel's guidance, Dembélé developed into one of the most feared wingers in the world.
But Dembélé's journey has not been without its challenges. His time at Barcelona was marked by frustration and disappointment, as he struggled to live up to his promise under different coaches and systems. In 2017, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain, where he finally found the right team and coach in Thomas Tuchel once again.
Under Tuchel's guidance, Dembélé has blossomed into one of the most dominant players in the world. His vision, movement, pace, control, and positioning set the tone for his teammates, while his finishing is ruthless. He starts the press, picks out passes with ease, and creates scoring opportunities that few others can.
So what makes Dembélé great? Is it his stats and accolades, or is there something more to it? For me, it's about understanding the intangible qualities that set him apart from other players. It's about recognizing the chemistry between a player and their team, the relationship with their coach, and playing in a system that brings out the best in every player.
Dembélé's exceptional 2025 season is a testament to these qualities. With 30 goals scored so far this calendar year, he has become an unstoppable force on the pitch. His most decisive moment came against Liverpool in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, where he picked up the ball, spread it wide to his teammate Bradley Barcola, and sprinted into the box to score.
The answer to what makes a good player great is not always easy, but Dembélé's story provides some valuable insights. It's about understanding the intangible qualities that set great players apart from others. And for me, Dembélé's well-deserved prize of being voted the best male player in the world by our voting panel is as much a recognition of these attributes as it is for his goals and trophies.
dembelé's story is all about finding the right fit 
he had immense talent but needed the right system & coach to unlock his full potential. it's not just about being naturally gifted, but also about being willing to adapt, learn & grow 
. we can all learn from his journey that sometimes, all it takes is a bit of patience, persistence & self-awareness to discover our true strengths 
. His journey from frustration at Barça to finding solace in PSG with Tuchel is super inspiring 
. It's not just about natural talent, it's about being willing to adapt, learn & grow 
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. But can't help but wonder if some of his early struggles were just a case of him being over-hyped as a young player and under-trained in terms of work ethic and discipline? 
Still, I reckon Dembélé's on the right track now and his stats are pretty impressive... 30 goals already this year? That's no joke! 
️, but what's even crazier is that Ousmane Dembélé is not playing! 
He left the team in January to focus on his family life, and it looks like it was a great decision for him. People were saying he was getting too much pressure from the media and coaches, so I think this break will do him some good. It's funny how sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward, right? 
! The way he just seems to glide past defenders and create scoring chances for himself and others is pure magic 
I mean, sure, stats are cool and all, but it's the way he makes his teammates better that really sets him apart. Plus, the fact that he's still humble despite all the accolades says a lot about him 
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...don't get me wrong, he's a solid player, but does he really deserve to be called 'great'? I mean, have you seen the prices of tickets at PSG games lately? It's just so exclusive and elitist. I'm not convinced that all this fuss is about Dembélé himself, but rather about the brand of football that PSG represents 
...and how it's been watered down by the club's big-money signings. Maybe we should be focusing on the actual football being played instead of just the stats and accolades? 
plus he's a total workhorse on the pitch 
... he just kinda finds himself and becomes unstoppable 
. That guy's got more heart than most players have brains 
. Tuchel must be doing something right because Dembélé's finally living up to his potential 
️.
. He didn't give up and kept working hard until he found the right team and coach in PSG 
Thomas Tuchel really knows how to bring out the best in players 
. What impresses me most about Dembélé is his ability to read the game and make things happen on the pitch 
, like that incredible goal against Liverpool 
. He's not just a talented player, but also someone who has learned from his mistakes and adapted to become an even better version of himself 
. The thing that really gets me is how Dembélé has finally found his footing at PSG under Tuchel's guidance. He's like a fine wine, getting better with age 
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. He's got a knack for rising above and delivering when it matters most. So yeah, let's give Dembélé all the credit he deserves – he's not just a great player, he's a top-class leader on the pitch