A guard of honour at the Campus
Fabián Ruiz walked back into Paris Saint-Germain training on Monday to a line of team-mates clapping him through. The Spain midfielder had just won the World Cup with La Roja over the summer. Not a bad way to report back for duty. At 30, the former Napoli man has quietly turned into one of the pillars of this Paris side.
Nobody saw it coming when he first arrived. Doubted, shuffled around, questioned. Month by month he answered, and the medals in his cabinet now argue his case better than any words could.
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The Ballon d’Or line that got the dressing room laughing
Luis Enrique could not help himself. Standing in front of the squad, the coach reeled off his midfielder’s honours one by one, a grin spreading as he went. “Fabián has won the World Cup, two years ago the Euros, back-to-back Champions Leagues, the Nations League… Ballon d’Or,” he said.
The dig landed because it is almost true. Two seasons in Paris, two Champions League crowns, the French title, and now a world crown with Spain. Ruiz has said himself that hearing his name near the Ballon d’Or would be an honour.
Aston Villa next, and the timing could not be sharper
PSG meet Aston Villa on Tuesday in the European Super Cup. Handing Luis Enrique a rested, trophy-laden leader days before the opener is the sort of luck a manager rarely gets. The full squad is back in Poissy. The season starts now.
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