Ask Mina: Luis Enrique's brilliance and battle for the Ballon d'Or

In her weekly Q&A, The National's resident expert addresses topics from around the football world

Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos lifts the trophy after their 5-0 Uefa Champions League final win over Inter Milan at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 31, 2025. EPA

PSG manager Luis Enrique celebrates with the trophy after their stunning win over Inter Milan. AP

PSG goalscorers Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi with the trophy. PA

PSG celebrate after the French club became European champions for the first time in their history. EPA

Desire Doue scores Paris Saint-Germain's third goal. Getty Images

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates after scoring PSG's fourth goal in Munich. AP

Substitute Senny Mayulu scores PSG's fifth goal in the 86th minute. Getty Images

Desire Doue celebrates scoring his second and PSG's third goal against Inter Milan in Munich. Getty Images

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia slots home PSG's fourth goal in the 73rd minute. Reuters

PSG's Desire Doue after scoring his team's second goal in Munich. EPA

Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer is wrong-footed by Desire Doue's deflected shot that put PSG two up in Munich. Reuters

PSG manager Luis Enrique, left, celebrates after Desire Doue put his team 2-0 ahead. Getty Images

Desire Doue celebrates after scoring his PSG's second goal at the Allianz Arena. AP

PSG fans set off flares in the stands during the Champions League final. PA

Desire Doue scores PSG's second goal - via a deflection off Federico Dimarco (not in picture) - in the 20th minute. AP

Inter manager Simone Inzaghi during the final. EPA

Achraf Hakimi scores finishes past Inter Milan keeper Yann Sommer. Reuters

Achraf Hakimi celebrates with teammate Ousmane Dembele after putting PSG 1-0 up in the 12th minute. Getty Images

Achraf Hakimi side foots past Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer to put PSG into an early lead. Getty Images

PSG full-back Achraf Hakimi refuses to celebrate in front of the fans of his former club Inter. Getty Images

Q: Inter collapse or PSG masterclass? What’s your take?

@Rozario_11 via Instagram

A: It’s a little bit of both, but I would credit Paris Saint-Germain with delivering a tactical masterclass in last Saturday's Uefa Champions League final.

PSG, unlike in previous seasons, were the most balanced side in the competition. While their movement and fluidity in possession were impressive, it was their relentless work off the ball that ultimately secured them the coveted trophy.

Luis Enrique knew how to neutralise Inter's threats and expose their weaknesses. Club football’s biggest trophies are won when players are willing to sacrifice and work hard for one another.

Seeing top goalscorer Ousmane Dembele pressing Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer to force him into long balls made a huge difference.

Inter are an accomplished side in possession, but they were simply not permitted to rotate the ball and build opportunities. Every lane was blocked, and every player was tightly marked. Watch how Achraf Hakimi closed down passing lanes while PSG’s midfielders remained tight when marking opponents. When the first defensive pass broke down, Inter went into disarray.

PSG pressed and harried and forced mistakes. Once the Parisiens won back possession, it was wave after wave of clever attacks, designed to isolate and confuse the Nerazzurri backline.

Luis Enrique capitalised on the youth of the squad; they ran relentlessly, made 22 clearances, robbing Inter of control and time, and had 23 shots on goal.

Q: Do you think Luis Enrique’s PSG could create a similar legacy to Pep's Barca?

@Vermiciouskinid via Instagram

A: If there’s any coach who can create a winning legacy, it’s Luis Enrique. In my opinion, he’s the best coach in the world, at par with Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti. He’s been underrated for so long that it’s stupefying. Rarely have I heard his name mentioned when the debate on the best coaches in the world comes up.

Former Barcelona striker described Enrique as "the best coach I've ever had. For the personality he has, for what he transmits and for the sincerity he has."

Another former Barca alumnus, Lionel Messi, said: "I was lucky that I had a lot of time with Guardiola and Luis Enrique, the two best. Having them [for so long] made me grow a lot in football and in the tactical wisdom that they taught me."

Daniele De Rossi, a former Italy international and World Cup winner, recently hailed Enrique as "perhaps the coach who impressed me the most in my career".

Marquinhos with PSG manager Luis Enrique. AFP

PSG are lucky to have a coach who can produce the kind of football we’ve seen from PSG, especially in the second half of the season.

Armed with a young squad, a great sporting director in Luis Campos who can identify the best of talents, and with lots of money in the bank, the future looks incredible.

Rather than buying established talents, they brought in youth with great potential. The €50 million spent on Desire Doue from Rennes could turn out to be the deal of the century, while the purchase of Kvara Kvaratskhelia from Napoli made a huge difference to the team’s performance.

The squad was one of the youngest in the Champions League, and the average age of the starting XI in the final was 25 years. This is the beginning of what I imagine can be a glorious winning project.

Q: What’s gone wrong at Leicester City?

@_Jonfollows

A: Disjointed planning, poor results, and a breakdown in trust between fans and the club’s leadership all contributed to a toxic atmosphere and growing uncertainty about the future.

It was always going to be tough to lose Enzo Maresca, but I can't comprehend the thinking behind hiring Steve Cooper, spending money, and then sacking him after 12 games.

To then hire and stick with Ruud van Nistelrooy as they were hurtling towards relegation also seemed bizarre. The club didn’t know whether to stick or twist.

The side lacked midfield creativity and appeared tactically confused. Goals were especially hard to come by; the team failed to score in eight consecutive games. Under Van Nistelrooy, there didn’t appear to be a clear attacking strategy and the shape was often too rigid.

Players were second-guessing themselves on the pitch. Every move was overthought, every pass was played with hesitation.

There needs to be a squad overhaul, and the club must have a clear direction. They can’t just depend on a coach to bring it all together.

Q: AC Milan have confirmed Max Allegri as their new coach. I understand you’re a fan of his. What makes him so special?

@Iam_tim via Instagram

A: I am a fan of his because I’m a Juventus fan and under his guidance, Juventus became a force in Europe and won the double practically every season during his first stint as coach. I think he overachieved with the squad he had, considering Antonio Conte quit because he thought the club’s ambitions were too grand and almost delusional. Allegri arrived and they reached the Uefa Champions League final.

Creating a winning dynasty is difficult, but Allegri made it look easy. Even with the best squad in Italy, Inter couldn't win relentlessly, and yet Allegri’s Juve did. Always aiming for the treble.

He beat Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Uefa Champions League with Stefano Sturaro in midfield, a player with limited quality. He knows how to make players play with their heart, how to mask weaknesses and how to allow his best players the freedom to dictate.

He’s a practical coach; he doesn’t dazzle, but he wins. He creates a winning mentality and a harmonious atmosphere and knows how to keep it all together when a club doesn’t provide the necessary support.

He cannot produce the type of football Luis Enrique or Guardiola can. The beauty lies in his tactical simplicity. He never overcomplicates it.

Mohamed Salah was in brilliant form for Liverpool. PA

Q: Who should win the Ballon d’Or this season? And who do you think will win it?

@Sasahsani via Instagram

A: There are so many candidates who have dazzled this season, from Mohamed Salah to Lamine Yamal and, of course, Dembele.

Dembele is the favourite. He has contributed 33 goals and 13 assists in 55 appearances for PSG this season. Not only did he win the quadruple with PSG but also the Uefa Champions League Player of the Season and Ligue 1 Player of the Year awards.

His performance in the Champions League final was mesmeric, sacrificing himself to help the team defend. His work off the ball has been as impressive as his offensive contributions. He proved to be a leader.

The Ballon d'Or should go to the team that has won the most trophies, and he is rightfully the favourite.