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Eyes on the prize: Luis Enrique gunning for second Club World Cup success
Despite collecting trophies galore as a player, FIFA Club World Cup success eluded Luis Enrique.
He put that right as a manager when Barcelona lifted the trophy in 2015 – and the Spaniard will fancy his chances of repeating the feat with newly-crowned UEFA Champions League winners PSG this summer.
If he does get his hands on the gold shield in America, the former Barca boss will join Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti as the only managers to win the Club World Cup with more than one club.
Enrique has performed a stellar job at the Parc des Princes following his appointment in the summer of 2023.
PSG may have lost major names such as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in recent seasons.
Nevertheless, a more measured approach in the transfer market has harvested the acquisition of players such as Desire Doue, Willian Pacho, Joao Neves and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Enrique has won the French Ligue 1 title in each of his two seasons in charge and made PSG UEFA Champions League winners for the first time this season.
They thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich on May 31 after recording the biggest winning margin in a Champions League or European Cup final.
Now Enrique will relish the challenge of going all the way in the USA and bringing the Club World Cup trophy back to France for the first time.
PSG have been pitted against La Liga outfit Atlético Madrid, Brazilian side Botafogo and Seattle Sounders FC of the MLS in Group B.
Enrique will head Stateside inspired by the memories of winning the Club World Cup in December 2015 as manager of Barcelona, the club where he was so revered as a player.
Remarkably, that year’s Club World Club final in Yokohama saw Barcelona won their fifth trophy of 2015 with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over River Plate.
River could not cope with Barca’s frontmen as Messi, returning from a kidney problem, scored the opener when he controlled Neymar's pass to finish.
Luis Suarez latched on to Sergio Busquets’ long pass to double their lead and added his second with a header from Neymar’s cross.
Enrique’s incisive and direct football has made him one of the most successful managers of his generation, although there has been personal heartache along the way.
The Paris Saint-Germain manager’s beloved daughter Xana tragically passed away at the age of nine in 2019.
Less than a year after taking over as Spain manager, Enrique would step away from the role in June 2019 for personal reasons.
Two months later, Enrique shared the news of Xana's death after her five-month battle with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer.
He returned to his Spain job to replace interim coach Robert Moreno ahead of Euro 2020 and he stepped down after the 2022 World Cup before landing at the Parc des Princes in July 2023.
Much like his Barcelona side who won the Champions League and Club World Cup a decade ago, PSG have been similarly exhilarating to watch this season as they cantered towards another league title.
Whether or not Enrique can inspire France’s most decorated club to the Club World Cup glory remains to be seen – but it should be fun watching them try.
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