According to Mundo Deportivo, Gavi considers his friend Dembele to be the most dangerous opponent in the World Cup.
During his time at Barcelona, Dembele was often amused by Gavi's candor, his fiery and genuine reactions, his emotional approach to life, and his whimsical ideas when playing video games or board games. The two were more than just friends; they were like brothers. Dembele felt relaxed with Gavi. They spoke the same language, despite their different life realities: Dembele was married and a father, while the intuitive and fiercely competitive Barcelona player was only 21 years old.
The two became friends during their time at Barcelona, when Dembele needed more than just football. Gavi doesn't judge him; the two are on the same wavelength and share values beyond the pitch. Gavi often talks about football with his agent and mentor, Ivan de la Peña, a close friend of Enrique. It was Enrique who transformed Dembele, leading him to win the Ballon d'Or and giving him a chance to win it again: he's a Champions League and Ligue 1 double winner, a World Cup semi-finalist, and currently has 5 goals and 2 assists.
Gavi's biggest fear is Dembele, because no one knows better than him how fast and unpredictable Dembele is. Dembele possesses a rare ability: he can create surprises with both feet, and he can use both feet almost indistinguishably. Enrique transformed him into a false 9, which helped him move freely on the field instead of waiting for instructions.
Dembele will appear and disappear like the "escape artist" Harry Houdini, and can pose a threat from anywhere on the pitch with deadly shots. His attacking statistics in this World Cup are extremely lethal: he only had 7 shots on target, 5 of which resulted in goals.
However, Dembele's most surprising and valuable contribution to the French national team is his defensive pressing. He completed 184 defensive presses, second only to Olise, who leads the French team with 192. He also won back possession 19 times. Now, he constantly remembers what Enrique told him: "If you don't run, you'll be on the bench."
So Dembele started running, and he ran a lot. He covered a total of 50,923 meters, 1 kilometer more than Mbappe, ranking among the top players in terms of distance covered. His runs were also very purposeful: pressing, trying to win back possession, and creating space for his teammates. At Barcelona, he relied more on intuition and talent, playing like street football; now, with Enrique's tactical arrangements, he has become an extremely dangerous player.
The Asturias coach at Paris Saint-Germain not only refined tactics with Dembele, but also convinced him that he was a leader and that he could win the Ballon d'Or if he helped the team. Enrique changed the football world's perception of Dembele: in the past, he was considered unfocused, inconsistent, and physically fragile.
While at Barcelona, Messi urged Dembele to change his lifestyle. Messi told him that if he wanted to achieve his dreams, he had to be serious. Being serious meant paying attention to his diet, stopping playing video games all night, listening to his physiotherapist, valuing quiet training sessions, prioritizing rest, and learning to listen to his body.
In the past, Dembele was a source of frustration at Barcelona, as everyone knew he was a unique talent being wasted. Now, he has become a superstar and has found an environment in the French national team that loves him. Not only has he formed a formidable partnership with Mbappe, scoring a combined 13 goals in this tournament, but Olise, Due, and Barcora also look up to Dembele and consider themselves incredibly lucky.
Because Dembele appears when the opponents least expect it. He doesn't crave more attention than a post-goal hug; he's not arrogant or superstar-like, but he knows he's an important player. For Gavi, he's the most dangerous man, and the Barcelona player's biggest obsession in this World Cup. Gavi could have had a bigger role, but he's not in a hurry: he just wants his friends, his brothers, to miss the final.
