Fabián Ruiz, the 30-year-old Spanish midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain, chose the World Cup when asked to pick between it and the Champions League. In an interview with OK Diario, he also expressed his desire to keep winning with Paris.
Fabián Ruiz: “We still have the hunger to win”
Champions League or World Cup?
“The World Cup.”
“We still have the hunger to win; we know it’s very difficult—especially in the Champions League. Winning one title was hard, and winning two was just as tough. But the desire to win remains, and that’s what we’re striving for. We know that securing a third Champions League title is an immense challenge, but we’re going to give it a go. We’ll take it one match at a time and see if we can reach the final again by the end of the season. That is certainly our goal.”
Two monumental trophies, two different paths to the pinnacle of the sport. It’s a classic dilemma, yet Fabián Ruiz makes his choice without hesitation. While he doesn’t elaborate on his reasoning, his answer highlights the unique, special place the World Cup holds in the career of an international player. For PSG supporters, his other point is equally significant: despite having already claimed two consecutive European titles, the drive to repeat that success remains very much alive.
This is the hunger that PSG must nurture. While the memories are magnificent, they won’t win any future matches. In his remarks, Fabián Ruiz balances grand ambition with a clear-eyed understanding of the difficulty involved. He sets his sights on a third crown without taking a spot in the final for granted. This approach to the challenge is a healthy one: a continued desire to experience those emotions, coupled with the willingness to put in all the necessary work to earn that chance once again.
