ПСЖ-ийн одд Аваргуудын лигт гурав дараалан түрүүлэх түүхэн зорилгынхоо талаар ярилаа

Ousmane Dembele is the current Ballon D’Or holder.

Fabian Ruiz is unbeaten in 50 games for the World Cup winners Spain.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the Champions League’s MVP last season and the best player not to feature at the World Cup this summer.

In a room overlooking Paris Saint-Germain’s pristine training pitches, these three superstars are chatting to The Athletic in three different languages about, among other things, how driven they are to win a third consecutive Champions League title.

They have been some of the main architects behind PSG’s dominance in the last two years, a period when Luis Enrique’s swashbuckling side have dominated Europe and established themselves as one of the best sides of the modern era.

In the last two years alone, PSG have won nine trophies —and finally become the dominant force in Europe after years of frustrating near misses.

In an ominous warning to their rivals, they are hungry for even more success.

“We hope this year we can compete again to win the Champions League for a third time,” Ruiz says. “Real Madrid are the only ones to have done that (in the Champions League era).

“It’s our principal objective this year — to be there, fighting to do something historic.”

PSG’s latest Champions League triumph came in May, when they defeated Arsenal in Budapest following a penalty shootout.

After going behind early to a Kai Havertz goal, PSG had to remain patient, before gradually asserting their authority in the contest.

“It was a difficult final,” Dembele explains. “We knew that Arsenal were a great team, they finished top of the league phase. We know that in recent years, they’ve been really difficult to play against, so we knew it was going to be a difficult match, especially when conceding against them and having to come back. They defend really well. It’s been four, five years where they’ve practically had the same group (of players).

“The best moment was when Gabriel, unfortunately for him, missed his penalty.”

Ruiz agrees that it was a tough game for PSG to come through, especially after conceding so early.

“From there, they sat back, we tried to attack, but it was difficult,” he says. “We know they’re a great team, they group together very well to defend, and they’re aggressive players. Ous’ goal came from the penalty spot; that gave us a bit more calmness.

“And then, like Ous said, the moment the referee blows for the final penalty which Gabriel missed… it’s a shame because in the end the players who miss the penalties are those who take them, but when you can celebrate a Champions League, it’s a very beautiful moment which stays in all of our memories.”

Before that Arsenal final, PSG overcame Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, with their 5-4 first-leg victory at the Parc des Princes an enthralling contest and a game for the ages.

Kvaratskhelia and Dembele both scored twice in that match to put PSG 5-2 ahead, before Vincent Kompany’s side pulled two goals back. The second leg was a cagier affair, ending 1-1, with Dembele again on the scoresheet.

How did it feel to be part of such an absorbing and thrilling spectacle?

“It was a crazy game,” Kvaratskhelia replies, with a grin on his face. “This game will always remain in football history. To play this game was a privilege.”

Following their latest Champions League success, the PSG trio enjoyed very different summers, with Ruiz’s Spain defeating Dembele’s France on the way to World Cup glory, while Kvaratskhelia missed out with Georgia still yet to qualify for the competition.

How much of the tournament did he watch?

“I was only watching my team-mates’ games,” he says, pointing at Ruiz and Dembele sitting either side of him. “Sometimes I didn’t sleep because of these guys.”

In the U.S., Dembele played off the right of a dazzling French attack that also consisted of Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe and Bradley Barcola or Desire Doue. They appeared an unstoppable force until they ran into Luis de la Fuente’s Spain.

Dembele’s tournament highlight was a sublime first-half hat-trick in the group stage, where he tormented Norway’s defence with a brilliant goal from his right foot and two after cutting inside on his left.

Dembele opens the scoring with his right foot in France’s World Cup clash against Norway (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

“I watched that game,” Kvaratskhelia says, watching the goals back on The Athletic’s laptop. “We see it in the PSG games. He always does these moves; for us it’s nothing new. This is what Ousmane is.”

How did he become so comfortable and adept at using both feet?

“Since I was very young, I’ve always preferred to shoot with my right foot but I’m also not bad with my left foot,” Dembele replies, modestly. “It’s been like that since I was born, since I’ve played football. I also worked a lot in training to improve both feet. I try to keep that momentum going, to be able to shoot with my right, with my left.”

Dembele scores his second goal against Norway, this time with his left foot (Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images)

Laughing, as he turns to Ruiz, Dembele adds: “It’s something footballers should work on — above all Fabian Ruiz. He’s only got a left foot!”

Dembele says his ability to use either foot gives him greater options on the pitch.

“But it’s difficult, sometimes I shoot with right or left and it ends up in the stands,” he adds. “But it’s true that it’s easier. When you’re at ease with both feet, you’re truly unpredictable for your opponent.”

Asked to give their view on which is Dembele’s stronger foot, Kvaratskhelia chuckles before saying: “I think even God doesn’t know.”

Dembele’s France were full of artistry and attacking flair at the World Cup, scoring 16 goals en route to the semi-final.

However, it was there Les Bleus came unstuck against an excellent Spanish side, who snuffed out their formidable attacking quartet.

After seeing off France, Ruiz’s Spain went on to defeat Argentina over 120 minutes in a one-sided final. They conceded just one goal during the entire tournament.

Ruiz with the World Cup trophy (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)

Immediately after the final, there were ugly scenes involving Argentina’s players and staff. Last month, FIFA imposed a combined total of 21 match bans on those who took part in the altercation.

“It’s a moment which everyone saw, which nobody likes to see,” Ruiz says of the fallout. “There are young kids who watch football who we shouldn’t show that to as an example. You need to know how to win and you need to know how to lose. Nobody likes to lose but it was a slightly ugly moment in a World Cup final.

“We always try to give a good example for everyone, because everyone watches football — from the youngest to the oldest. It was a moment nobody liked, but I hope it’s forgotten and people remember our celebrations, which were unforgettable.”

The World Cup final was Ruiz’s 50th cap for Spain, and he has yet to lose a match with his national side. Since making his international debut in 2019, he has also won the Nations League in 2023 and the European Championship in 2024.

“Ous is always joking about that (stat) with me,” he says, turning to Dembele. “It’s incredible that I’ve played 50 matches for the national team and never lost. It’s an anecdotal stat but the less we lose, the better.”

Ruiz hails from Los Palacios y Villafranca, a city just south of Seville. As part of his home city’s tradition, he is presented with his body weight in tomatoes whenever he wins a title with Spain — which has now happened three times.

After lifting the World Cup, Ruiz received 85kg of tomatoes, while his team-mate Gavi, who also hails from Los Palacios y Villafranca, was given 68.5kg.

“The truth is it’s a lot of kilos,” he says. “I can’t eat them all myself. I gave them out to my family, to my friends. It’s a nice recognition for us, for all the people in the village, because the tomatoes are really famous in Los Palacios. They’re really good and we appreciate that they gift us tomatoes.”

The 30-year-old Ruiz has an air of authority, the elder statesman beside the engaging Kvaratskhelia and the easygoing Dembele. During the interview, a mix of languages is spoken, with Ruiz conversing in Spanish, Kvaratskhelia in English and Dembele in French.

Ruiz joined PSG from Napoli in summer 2022, when Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi famously declared in an interview with Le Parisien that he didn’t want “flashy, bling-bling anymore, it’s the end of the glitter”, with a shift in focus to homegrown talent.

The following year, Luis Enrique arrived, and Ruiz says the players responded well to his fellow countryman’s philosophy and style of play. Last week, Ruiz and Enrique signed contract extensions to remain with PSG until 2028 (with a further one-year option) and 2030, respectively.

His team-mates were quick to praise Ruiz’s superior understanding of the game (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)

When asked about Ruiz’s role in the side, Dembele replies: “He’s an incredible player. When you have him in your team, you win all the trophies. He’s a very special, very calm player who also sets the tempo in matches. He’s a very underrated player in football.”

Kvaratskhelia nods in agreement, praising Ruiz’s football IQ. “He’s so underrated because the way he understands football is really crazy,” he says. “I don’t know who said it about (Sergio) Busquets — when you watch football, you don’t see Busquets, but when you watch Busquets, you watch football. It’s the (same) for Fabi, because you don’t see him but his ability to understand football and the way he controls the game… the tempo is on another level.”

After their outstanding campaigns, all three are contenders for this year’s Ballon D’Or. The 30-man shortlist was revealed earlier this week ahead of the 26 October ceremony.

Dembele is the current holder of the prize. Has he felt a noticeable change since then?

“I don’t think it really changed my life, even if it was incredible,” he says. “When you’re little, you dream of winning this kind of individual trophy — even if it wasn’t an objective or an obsession for me. But it was incredible when Ronaldinho gave me that trophy. I felt a lot of pride for myself, for all my family, for all of those who I rubbed shoulders with too. They were super happy for me.

“It’s a unique moment that I’ll remember for all my life.”

Dembele ‘felt a lot of pride’ on receiving the 2025 Ballon D’Or (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)

In an interview with France Football this week, Dembele said his favourites for this year’s awards include Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe — but added: “I think it will remain in the hands of a Paris Saint-Germain player.”

Given 10 PSG players are in the running for the Ballon D’Or, how much do players pay attention to that, and is it a topic of discussion in the changing room?

“Sometimes,” replies Kvaratskhelia. “When I came here, when we won everything and when Ousmane won the Ballon d’Or, I was telling him that I came here to help him win the Ballon d’Or and the Champions League,” he adds with a laugh.

And does he now imagine winning the award himself?

“If you ask every player, we don’t really think about individual trophies, it’s coming from the success of the team,” the 25-year-old says. “And (for) the people who decide (the Ballon d’Or), this is their job.”

Kvaratskhelia, a throwback winger with magnificent dribbling qualities, has been a standout player since arriving at PSG in January 2025. Before that, he played a key role in helping Napoli, a club still close to his heart, to their first Scudetto in 33 years.

Kvaratskhelia bursts away from Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch during a Champions League tie in April (Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images)

It was during his time in southern Italy that Kvaratskhelia started wearing his socks low — which has since become something of a trademark.

“It was my first game at Napoli and I was feeling cramps for 35 minutes,” he explains. “Because it was my first game, perhaps I was stressed. Normally, I played (with my socks) up, like normal. I was thinking it could be good for my cramps to lower my socks. After that, I scored the goal so I was thinking maybe it was luck. After that I didn’t change it.”

Another part of his game that has become famous is his ‘ice in my veins’ celebration. How did that come about?

“Basketball. Achraf (Hakimi) and I were playing NBA together and one day I told him if I scored I would do this celebration, which is coming from most of the NBA players,” he says. “After that, I just kept it.”

Chief among Kvaratskhelia’s standout moments in a PSG shirt was his wonderful solo goal against Aston Villa in last year’s Champions League quarter-final.

“I think that’s his best goal for Paris Saint-Germain,” Dembele says, watching a clip of the goal. “It’s truly incredible how he chops past the defender.”

“Like Ous!” Kvaratskhelia responds. “Right foot, left foot.”

Kvaratskhelia at pace 💨#UCL pic.twitter.com/PBepm0WqR5

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 10, 2025

Another telling contribution was his emphatic finish against Chelsea in last season’s Champions League, where he came off the bench and scored two goals, to put the tie out of reach. “It’s between this one and one against Aston Villa,” Dembele says. “He’s scored a lot of great goals, above all in the Champions League.”

It’s telling how much success PSG have enjoyed against Premier League opposition in Europe recently, and have been drawn against Manchester City and Aston Villa in the league phase of this season’s Champions League. Is there a particular reason for that success?

“I don’t think there is something. We respect everybody, but on the pitch we just want to dominate,” Kvaratskhelia explains.

The trio will be central to PSG’s bid for a Champions League ‘three-peat’ (PSG)

Kvaratskhelia is a proud Georgian — his heritage forms an important part of his identity — and his skills were honed on the country’s cage football pitches.

Is there extra pressure that comes with being the face of his country, as well as a star for PSG?

“It’s a pleasure to be an example for Georgian kids, but of course it’s also pressure, because every time you’re going on the pitch, you should be an example for them, because they are watching every single action,” he says. “Coming from a small country and being successful is an example. I’m showing them that everything is possible and if you have a dream, you can achieve it.”

“He’s an incredible player, one of the best wingers, one of the best players in the world,” Dembele says of his Georgian team-mate. “Last year he had an incredible season — he’s very, very important for us. He has so many nicknames, we call him ‘The Best’ here or ‘Kvaradona’.”

Which of those nicknames does Kvaratskhelia like the most?

“My favourite is Kvaradona,” he replies, smiling. “I’m really proud that I played at Napoli. When they call me this, it’s a privilege and pressure as well, because when they compare you to one of the best football players in history, it’s really difficult to handle it. Nobody can compare with Maradona, but it’s a pleasure.”

Kvaradona 🤯 pic.twitter.com/e69rOGKKay

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_espanol) February 9, 2026

Despite being likened to one of the world’s greatest players, Kvaratskhelia grew up idolising a less-heralded star: the former Real Madrid midfielder Guti. “I liked the way he played,” he says. “After that, I was in love with him.”

For all his obvious qualities in attack, Ruiz also praises Kvaratskhelia’s defensive work.

“He’s an incredible player, above all in the opposition half of the pitch, where he breaks lines easily, he’s got a great shot with his right foot,” he says. “He understands football very well, who helps us midfielders a lot because he knows where the spaces are, he knows how to receive the ball to feet, how to go long. He’s a winger who helps us a lot in defence, it’s one of his specialties.”

Kvaratskhelia is a hero in his native Georgia(Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)

As for Dembele, Ruiz describes him as PSG’s fundamental player.

Dembele joined PSG three years ago with a point to prove, following an injury-disrupted spell at Barcelona, who had signed him for an initial €105m (£90m), plus a potential €42m (£36m) in add-ons.

Despite those challenges, the 29-year-old remains thankful for his time there. “I had the opportunity to realise a childhood dream, to play for Barcelona and play with players like Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta,” he says.

But it’s in the French capital where he’s truly flourished, especially after a tactical switch against Lyon in December 2024 that saw Enrique use him as a false nine. The move kickstarted his career, and Dembele went on to score 27 goals in just 22 appearances.

Dembele ‘transmits happiness to the dressing room’, says Ruiz (Franco Arland/Getty Images)

He hasn’t looked back since.

“That’s why he won the Ballon D’Or last year, because he’s a player who stands out above the rest, for his abilities, the way he plays with both feet, his speed, for the goals he scores,” Ruiz explains. “Defensively, he helps us a lot, which for us as midfielders is important.

“I’d also mention the human part, which nobody sees, only those of us who are here with him, those of us who enjoy his presence on a daily basis. He’s an incredible person who makes you better, who helps you, who transmits happiness to the dressing room. I’d highlight that above all.”

Asked which part of his game he’d take from Dembele, Kvaratskhelia chimes in: “His ability to play with both feet, the way he keeps the ball and accelerates with it. I’ve never seen it before I came here. His talent is on another level.”

Since the start of 2024-25, Dembele has taken 79 non-penalty shots with his left foot in Ligue 1 and 59 with his right. Only Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo has struck a more even balance of players across Europe’s top five leagues to have take at least 100 shots in that time.

As we can see from his shot-map below, it allows Dembele to finish from a variety of angles, leading to a comfortable over-performance of his expected goals (xG) figures. That points to Dembele’s clinical edge, able to adjust to most goalscoring opportunities inside the box with no preference on foot.

Back to the here and now, and PSG have made a sluggish start to their domestic campaign, picking up just two points from their opening three Ligue 1 games. They also lost the Trophée des Champions season opener against RC Lens last month.

Our interview takes place the day after PSG’s 2-2 draw with Rennes, in which Kvaratskhelia and Dembele were both subbed off at half-time. After the match, in quotes carried by Ligue 1 Plus, Enrique warned his players: “If you dwell on what you’ve already won in the past, you won’t win anything else.”

PSG started the defence of their Champions League title with a thumping 6-1 win against Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday (Dembele scored twice and set up two more; Ruiz scored the final goal), and it’s clear from chatting to this extraordinary trio that they don’t intend to rest on their laurels.

They are still striving for excellence and are intent on adding to their trophy haul.

Just ask Ruiz.

“Why shouldn’t we dream about a third Champions League, about winning all the trophies possible?”