The easiest way to get things done effectively is usually not the best way. If any one has learnt that, recently, and in the hardest way possible, it has to be Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, and owner of PSG since 2011. After the acquisition of the French giants in a huge statement-making acquisition that followed up the acquisition of Machester City by the Abu Dhabi group and announced the entry of the Middle East financial heavyweights into the European football industry, the Qatari Sports Insortium has spent over 1 billion dollars in an attempt to make PSG stake its claim on the European Football industry. Given, the club were in the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2020 and they almost won the trophy, almost is never good enough.
Having invested well over 1 billion dollars into the club in its over 15 years of ownership, the Qatar Sports Consortium aimed to firmly establish PSG’s dominance in the European football landscape. Despite the club’s notable progress, such as their appearance in the UEFA Champions League final in 2020, falling just short of victory highlighted the insufficiency of their achievements. They have attempted to replicate the Real Madrid “Galacticos” which involved the purchase of the hottest players the world has to offer. However, the approach seems to have failed them with many of the players appearing to be mercenaries rather than helping hands resulting them in falling short of their target time and again.
With the departure of Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players of all time, who many have touted to be the final puzzle to the jigsaw challenge of European triumph and the imminent departure of Neymar to Arabian giants Al Hilal, the one who was said to have been the accelerator of the project, it appears that PSG has gone back to ground zero. However, that would be a simplistic conclusion to the whole issue as they have now learnt how NOT to build a team.
Under the ownership of Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani since 2011, PSG embarked on a Galacticos-inspired journey, acquiring superstars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and Neymar. However, despite these high-profile acquisitions, PSG’s European conquests have fallen short of their ambitions. As they approach the crossroads of their strategy, PSG seems to have learned the valuable lesson of how not to build a winning team. I opine that the tide of their approach should now shift towards nurturing a robust core of French talents, akin to the successful German, English, and Spanish teams of the past.
The concept of assembling a team with an abundance of star power is not new. Inspired by Real Madrid’s “Galacticos” era, PSG embarked on a journey to create a squad of football titans that could dominate both domestically and in Europe. The acquisitions of marquee names like Ibrahimovic, Mbappé, Messi, and Neymar sent shockwaves through the footballing world, creating a sense of anticipation around PSG’s ambitions.
However, PSG’s experience has underlined the adage that talent alone does not guarantee success. Despite their impressive roster of players, PSG’s performances in European competitions have not matched the magnitude of their investments. The pursuit of immediate glory through star power lacked the cohesion and unity that are often pivotal in a team’s journey towards championship triumphs.
Recognizing the limitations of the Galacticos approach, PSG should be embracing a strategic pivot. Drawing inspiration from successful national and club teams, such as the German treble-winning sides of 2013 and 2020, Manchester United’s 1999 treble champions, Manchester City’s triumphant 2023 squad, Barcelona’s 2015 dominance, and Real Madrid’s threepeat triumph from 2016 to 2018, PSG is now poised to build a legacy of its own through the acquisition of home-based players.
The best possible position to the situation that PSG has found themselves is that they should see to it that the heart of their transformation should lie in the development and acquisition of a core of talented French players. Just like in obtain sin Germany, Engalnd and other Euopean heavywights, the best players from each of these countries should find more pride in playing for the best club in their country than anywhere else. In the past, the likes of Paul Pogba, Benjamin Pavard, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Antoine Griezmann and Eduardo Camavinga should be symbolic of the core of the club. Rather, they ply their trade outside the country. This wy, these players can embody not only skill and potential but also a deep connection to the club’s identity and fan base. They can easily eradicate the “mercenary-syndrome” this wasy. The successes of Germany, Spain, and England, both internationally and at the club level, underline the effectiveness of a homegrown nucleus.
A shift in strategy to the above recommendation could signal PSG’s renewed focus on building a sustainable legacy. By nurturing local talents and fostering a sense of unity and identity within the team, PSG can primed to overcome the limitations of their previous approach. While the allure of Galacticos remains, the strategic pivot toward homegrown excellence will demonstrate a profound understanding of the intricate dynamics that make a winning team.
If PSG recalibrates its approach, the journey from Galacticos to homegrown dominance could represent a maturation process for the club. The lessons learned through ambitious yet unfulfilled pursuits could pave the way for a more considered and strategic methodology. PSG’s potential evolution could reflect the evolving nature of football itself, where success is the outcome of a delicate balance between individual brilliance and collective cohesion.
