Johan Cruyff's philosophy at PSG
Perhaps never before has Johan Cruyff's famous remark been so prophetic as it is now: "No system can withstand a great dribble."
Modern football increasingly emphasizes one-on-one situations spread across the pitch – the ideal ground for players who can hold the ball at high speed, change direction like a circus, and especially be willing to chase the ball away when losing control.
In the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, where PSG beat Bayern Munich 2-0, the audience witnessed an eye-catching performance from the names Kingsley Coman, Barcola, Michael Olise, Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue. It was a performance of the artists on the field.
Luis Enrique's PSG are the only team today that regularly starts with three pure dribblers.
No Goncalo Ramos, no typical striker. Kvaratskhelia arrived in the winter and played 473 more minutes than Ramos.
A clear signal of a shift in philosophy for the Parisian club.
This is also a revolutionary change by Enrique himself. He used to have “number 9” Luis Suarez at Barca, but now only uses wingers.
Virtual center
Luis Enrique did not hesitate to clarify his recruitment goals: "We want strikers who can score goals, create assists, and also know how to pass people."
He currently has five such players: Doue, Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Dembele and Mbaye. All can play wide or centrally, creating a constantly changing attack.
Among them, Dembele is the most explosive. After many seasons struggling with injuries and criticism, he is playing the best game of his career: 35 goals, 16 assists in 52 matches, candidate for the Golden Ball.
But the most impressive thing is not the number, but the position: Dembele is no longer confined to the wing, like in his years at Barcelona, but often plays as a center forward. A bold and successful move by Enrique.
Former player Bixente Lizarazu admitted: “It was hard to imagine Dembele could play as a striker and score so many goals. But Luis Enrique saw it, and Ousmane himself also contributed greatly with his efforts to adapt.”
Luis Enrique believes that freedom on the field is dedication: "Freedom is fighting for teammates, for the club, for the desire to play beautiful football" .
Therefore, in his scheme, the center forward position is not only the scorer, but also the pressing center, the one who leads all defensive efforts from the front line.
First it was Alvaro Morata for Spain, then Kylian Mbappe (but he was not satisfied), and now Dembele.
Besides Dembele, Doue, Barcola, Lee Kang In and Kvaratskhelia are also rotated flexibly, creating a constantly moving attack - true to the "never standing still" spirit of the football Enrique pursues.
Freestyle Football
Above all, he always maintains a simple philosophy: football must be attractive to the audience. “Every time I go to a club or a team, I always make the goal clear: not only to win, but also to bring emotions. No one goes to the stadium to fall asleep.”
Former midfielder Makelele agreed: “It doesn’t matter if PSG play three wingers. The important thing is whether they know how to switch positions and create connections. They are doing that very well.”
Coach Javier Mascherano, after Inter Miami lost 0-4 to PSG, briefly said: "Enrique always likes to change paths, and always dares to take risks."
In the semi-final against Real Madrid , a situation that excited viewers to the extreme: Mbappe tried to break through Kvaratskhelia with Fede Valverde moving to support him beside him; the former Napoli player cut the ball away, backheeled Kylian, then poked the toe of his boot through Arda Guler's legs.
All with just the right foot. This situation alone is enough to explain the difference between the two teams, and a 4-0 victory for PSG.
The numbers don’t lie. At the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup , according to Opta, PSG dribbled the most – 142, far ahead of Chelsea (125). The leading player was Doue (36), Kvaratskhelia was fourth (26).
That style of play is maintained thanks to Vitinha: 620 passes, the most in the tournament. Hakimi is right behind but the gap is very large – 397; 3rd place also belongs to PSG – Willian Pacho (342).
PSG is not simply a team of stars, but a team of ideas. There, Luis Enrique demonstrates the art of leadership, and Dembele, Doue, Kvara... turn the pitch into a stage.
“ This team has taken the style of play to a very high level , ” concluded Luis Enrique, waiting to overcome the next challenge, Chelsea (2am, July 14).
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/psg-dau-chelsea-luis-enrique-bien-bong-da-thanh-nghe-thuat-2420837.html
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