<p>The Frenchman, who has been named the best male footballer in the world by the Guardian, has benefitted from PSG’s focus on the team rather than individuals</p><p>What makes a good player great, and a great player the best? This question has been occupying me since 2014, when the Guardian first asked me to contribute to its <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/ng-interactive/2014/oct/14/next-generation-2014-40-of-the-best-young-talents-in-world-football">inaugural Next Generation feature</a>. My job was to look for a France-based talent born in 1997 who could go on to have a stellar career.</p><p>After a great deal of research, I narrowed it down from my shortlist&nbsp;of five by asking questions&nbsp;not about the players’ football ability, but about other attributes: resilience, adaptability, decision-making, creativity, work ethic, response to feedback and willingness to learn. Qualities we cannot see, and are harder to&nbsp;measure.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/dec/20/ousmane-dembele-quietly-becomes-the-main-man-after-long-journey-to-the-top">Continue reading...</a>