Enrique's 5 'miraculous' years at PSG

From Mbappe's departure to Real to PSG's current success, Enrique has proven that the coach is the most crucial position in the team.

Developing PSG without Mbappe. From the moment he took charge of PSG, coach Luis Enrique struggled to persuade Kylian Mbappe to adhere to the tactical system. After Mbappe left for Real, he breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Now, I will control everything in the game".

This season, Enrique has again led PSG to the championship match, after overcoming Bayern Munich with an aggregate score of 6-5 in the semi-finals. If they defeat Arsenal in Budapest, Hungary on 30/5, PSG will become the second team to successfully defend the Champions League title, after Real Madrid, and the ninth team to successfully defend the European Cup/Champions League, following Real Madrid, Benfica, Inter Milan, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, and AC Milan.

True to his word, Enrique did not rely on PSG's all-time leading scorer (256 goals) but instead built a new winning team around other young stars, who were less famous and less individualistic.

In the past two seasons, PSG has become their strongest, most successful, and best-performing version in their 55-year history. Now, the Spanish coach aims for new heights, while Real Madrid grapples with how to utilize Mbappe.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (in black in the photo) has surpassed Vinicius, Raphinha, and Luis Diaz to become the world's best left winger.

Changing history. With a 5-0 final victory over Inter Milan at the Allianz Arena, Munich on 1/6/2025, Enrique helped PSG secure their first Champions League title.

Transforming PSG into a true team. Despite spending billions of USD, for a long time, PSG was considered merely a collection of big stars, not a cohesive team. Many coaches previously failed to change this, including Carlo Ancelotti, Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel, and Mauricio Pochettino. None of them found the right formula for a squad featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Angel Di Maria, Edinson Cavani, Marco Verratti, Mbappe, Thiago Silva, Neymar, and Lionel Messi.

It was only when Enrique arrived in 2023 that everything began to change.

Turning Ousmane Dembele into the world's best player: Dembele was a long-standing injury concern at Barcelona. Even when he played well before his move to PSG in 2023, the forward was still considered a failed signing in Camp Nou's history. However, under Enrique's skillful guidance, Dembele not only found consistency but also won the Champions League and the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

With 6 goals against Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern in this season's Champions League knockout stages, Dembele remains the top contender for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

Elevating other stars. Enrique not only helped Dembele win the Ballon d'Or but also elevated many other PSG players. He guided two young Portuguese talents, Vitinha (number 17) and Joao Neves (87), to become two of the world's best midfielders.

Under the Spanish coach, full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes are among the top 3 players in their respective positions. The 45 million USD signing from Frankfurt, Willian Pacho, has also become one of the world's best central defenders.