Frank Christian
Gaining insights into the preparation of sports teams and the motivational techniques used by coaches is always a fascinating experience.
We’re fortunate to have an opportunity to witness this firsthand, as the Spanish streaming service Movistar+ features an exclusive look at PSG’s manager, Luis Enrique, in their docuseries “You have no f***ing idea,” which chronicles his journey with one of the world’s leading football clubs.
Movistar has promoted the upcoming episode by releasing an intriguing clip from last season, highlighting a moment where Enrique speaks to Kylian Mbappe, a Ballon d’Or nominee, who was part of the Paris team at that time.
In the clip, Enrique passionately addresses Mbappe, who was part of a formidable attacking trio alongside Neymar and Lionel Messi. The manager attempts to motivate Mbappe by incorporating references from basketball, particularly drawing inspiration from the legendary Michael Jordan.
Enrique commands the conversation while Mbappe attentively listens, with game footage of a Champions League match against Barcelona playing in the background. Interestingly, his focus is not on Mbappe’s offensive skills, but rather on instilling a sense of defensive responsibility.
“You mentioned your admiration for Michael Jordan?” Luis Enrique expresses with enthusiasm, using animated gestures. “Jordan led by example and defended fiercely. As a player and a person, you need to do the same.”
As the video plays, it shows Barcelona controlling the ball during a corner, indicating that Enrique was concerned about Mbappe’s lack of defensive effort and wanted to emphasize the necessity of an engaged defensive approach.
“You will be the one pressing [Barcelona defender Pau] Cubarsi,” he continues emphatically. “Press Cubarsi and [goalkeeper Marc-Andre] Ter Stegen. Why? To set an example as a leader. You are an exceptional talent. A true leader contributes on defense when they are unable to score goals. If you commit to this, we will become a formidable team together.”
“He leído que te gustaba Michael Jordan”.
“Michael Jordan se ponía a defender como un hijo de p***”.#LuisEnrique Mbappé
Lunes 7, ‘𝑵𝒐 𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒆́𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒊 **** 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂’ Capítulo 2. pic.twitter.com/VSYqtTAIsl
— Fútbol en Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) October 3, 2024
Enrique’s words about Mbappe’s offensive form during that period are noteworthy. At that mid-April match, the French star was struggling to score and was rumored to be heading to Real Madrid, which may have affected his commitment to PSG’s upcoming matches.
In the following match, during the second leg of their quarterfinal against Barcelona, Mbappe responded by netting two goals in a 4-1 victory, overturning their 3-2 defeat from the first leg and helping PSG advance to the semifinals.
Coaches often emphasize the importance of defending, even for players primarily focused on attacking. Recently, new USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino reinforced this sentiment, urging his team to “not only play beautiful football” but also to “enjoy playing without the ball.”
