1BSPORTS 1B Sports June 14th Dembele was interviewed by French Football magazine and talked about his experience in the past season, Enrique, France and other topics.
Talking about changes after coming to the middle
“Turning to the middle was very successful for me. I became more calm in front of the goal, which also concerns confidence and mentality. From the beginning of the season to now, before every game, I will tell people around me: ‘I want to score three goals today.’ Of course, you may score one, two or zero in the end, but now every game I tell myself: I have to score three goals today, and if I can score one or two, that’s not bad!”
Are you more eager to score goals?
“Yes, it’s obvious. I said at the beginning of the season that I hope I can be a key figure in deciding the game, and I hope to score more goals. It’s not only because my teammates have provided me with great support, they did a great job, and I myself have more and more confidence. When you scored on Saturday, three days later you still have the same desire to score again, and by the next week you still have the same desire. That’s it, that desire never stops.”
Where are you happiest in?
“I really like to be in the No. 9 position. In some games, I play pure No. 9 position, standing behind the opposing defender, and my only goal is to appear in front of the opposing goal. In the past two months, I have also had many games as a retracement No. 9 to create an advantage in the midfield. I like these two roles very much and can switch flexibly. I am a very adaptable person, and early in my career, I was already familiar with the position in the middle. When I get the ball at this position, I only need to pass one or two players to shoot or assist. And when I am the right winger, I sometimes need to pass the opponent’s left back, the midfielder who makes the defense, and the center back… When you get to the goal, you may not have calm enough to complete the shot. Therefore, it is much easier for me to play in the center.”
You give people the impression of being a more casual and selfless person. As we all know, the football world is sometimes cruel. How do you maintain this mentality?
“It’s very important for me to maintain this mentality. When I played for Rennes, I got help from some older players, and later I always wanted to help my teammates. Football is a team sport, and if you only care about yourself, you can’t succeed or win. For me, helping the yearLight players are taken for granted. ”
Talk about Douai and Yamal
“Frankly speaking, I think both are equally excellent. Yamal has attracted much attention since he was a child, and his talent has long been well known. When he entered the first team, we realized that he was indeed extraordinary and that his performance had reached a new level. During training, he can dribble the ball, create scoring opportunities for his teammates, and score goals himself. It was not easy for Douai to integrate into the team at first, and he needed to adapt to the new football philosophy. But over time, he gradually showed extraordinary abilities. He is a very professional, smart, serious and good at listening. He will go a long way in the future because he has a great team to support him. ”
Tan Enrique
“He is the helm of the team, and he decides who will play and who will not play. If you perform well, you will get a chance to play, otherwise you will have to sit on the bench. He brought this mentality to Paris, which was completely correct. It is this attitude that has allowed him to build a strong team that has made us more united. Everyone puts collective interests before their personal interests, which is the only way to win more important trophys. In addition, he is also very good at tactics and has led Barcelona to achieve brilliant achievements. He will not give up easily regardless of whether his ideas are accepted by everyone. ”
”He is an experienced coach who has won a Champions League title ten years ago. He said that football is not a war, it is just a game, and emotions need to be controlled. He asked us not to reach 200%, but to stay at 100%. We need to be motivated, but we cannot be overly excited. Before the final, he also told us to enjoy the game because we may never experience such moments again in our career, so we should cherish them. He always acts very detached and sometimes gives people a feeling of indifferent, but it is completely wrong. He is an ambitious person, but it doesn’t prevent him from always being calm, always having a smile on his face and putting all his energy into the team, he focuses on the team rather than the stars. ”
Many people think that Paris’ turning point is a 4-2 reversal of Manchester City. Do you agree?
“Yes, we have won almost all the games since then, and when we eliminated Liverpool and entered the quarterfinals, we told ourselves: we can go to the end. ”
Talk about the contribution to the French team
“I really need to write some stories in the French national team. I had a good start in 2017, but my subsequent performance was not stable. In some games, I served as a substitute and was not a starter at the 2018 World Cup. The World Cup that will be in next year is an opportunity for me, and I hope to make a difference in the national team and become a leader both on and off the court. As one of the veterans of the national team, I need to set an example. ”
Finally help us solve a mystery, do you trust your left foot or your right foot more?
“In fact, I can’t say it, it’s hard to say, because I’m better at shooting with my right foot. However, I’m more comfortable controlling the ball with my left foot. I’m not very good at controlling the ball with my right foot, but it’s certainly a good thing to be able to shoot the left and right shots!”