Eden Hazard, the former Chelsea and Belgian international forward, has offered a glowing assessment of Ousmane Dembélé’s current form at Paris Saint-Germain, suggesting the winger is finally delivering on the extraordinary potential he displayed earlier in his career.
Hazard made his comments during an appearance on Canal Football Club, where he reflected at length on Dembélé’s growing importance within PSG’s attacking structure. The Belgian, widely considered one of the most naturally gifted European players of his generation, framed Dembélé’s resurgence as a reward for perseverance.
“We’ve known about his talent for nearly a decade,” Hazard said. “He has a coach [Luis Enrique] who helps him well, who knows how to manage him. This is the football we want to see!”
Hazard’s comments point specifically to the role PSG head coach Luis Enrique has played in extracting greater reliability from Dembélé. The Spanish manager, who previously worked with Dembélé at Barcelona, has been credited by multiple observers with developing a tactical and man-management approach that suits the forward’s profile.
Dembélé’s career has long been defined by a tension between exceptional ability and persistent inconsistency. Since breaking through at Rennes and later Borussia Dortmund — where he earned his move to Barcelona for a reported fee in the region of €105 million in 2017 — the French international was frequently hampered by muscular injuries and question marks over his professionalism. His time at Camp Nou produced moments of brilliance but rarely the sustained output his talent seemed to warrant.
Since joining PSG ahead of the 2023-24 season, however, Dembélé has steadily moved toward the consistent form that eluded him for much of his Barcelona tenure. His development under Luis Enrique has positioned him as a central figure in PSG’s forward line as the club continues to rebuild its identity following the departures of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé.
Hazard’s endorsement carries notable weight given the parallels in their careers. The Belgian himself was regarded for much of the 2010s as one of the world’s elite wingers during his time at Chelsea, before a move to Real Madrid in 2019 was severely undermined by a series of injury setbacks that limited his impact at the Bernabéu. Hazard retired from professional football in October 2023.
For PSG, Dembélé’s continued progression is significant as the club navigates a transitional period in both domestic competition and the UEFA Champions League. His form heading into the latter stages of the 2025-26 season will be closely monitored as Luis Enrique looks to mount a sustained challenge on multiple fronts.
