In life, you don’t appreciate something until it’s gone. Something similar has happened with Fabián Ruiz. The Spanish midfielder has not received the recognition he deserves in recent years because he plays abroad, in France, for a Paris Saint-Germain team that does not receive much attention until the Champions League rolls around. The midfielder put on another masterclass in Europe’s premier club competition, once again showing that, right now, he can hold his own against any midfielder in the world.

Fabián capped his brilliant performance with a stoppage-time goal that sealed PSG’s win over Barcelona. A week earlier, at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, he turned in a flawless first half, one of his best performances in a PSG jersey. While the spotlight is usually on Dembélé, Vitinha, Neves, Kvaratskhelia and Achraf, the Spanish international has quietly gone about his business, working in the background until establishing himself as one of the key players on a team that is making history in European soccer.

The numbers tell the story

His numbers tell the story. Against Barcelona, he led the game in shots on target (three) and interceptions (three), ranked second in expected goals (2.09), third in total touches (78) and fourth in completed passes (57). Constantly making himself available as a passing option, moving the ball from side to side and playing with just a few touches, Fabián once again showed why he is considered one of the best midfielders in Europe.

A starter for Spain at the World Cup and a key player for Luis de la Fuente during the national team’s recent successes, Fabián perfectly embodies what it means to be an underrated player. Neither France nor Spain gave him the recognition he deserved until his level became so obvious that the skeptics had no choice but to change their minds. Without campaigning for the Ballon d’Or, and somewhat overshadowed at PSG despite being the only one of the 30 nominees to have won both the Champions League and the World Cup, the Andalusian midfielder is enjoying the best stretch of his career.

Every PSG attack runs through him. His teammates are constantly looking for him, and his physical and technical ability allows him to make regular runs into the opposing penalty area, as he did when he scored PSG’s fourth goal against Barcelona.

In Spain, however, he was forgotten. That was a major mistake by the country’s top clubs. PSG, through sporting director Luis Campos, one of soccer’s best talent spotters, decided to take a chance on him in 2022. The club paid just €22 million, about $24.7 million, to sign him from Napoli. Despite a tentative approach from Real Madrid through Carlo Ancelotti, who had coached him in Italy, neither Madrid, Barcelona nor Atlético Madrid seriously pursued him.

Happy in Paris

Despite the extraordinary form he is enjoying now, Fabián did not have an easy start in Paris. He struggled under Christophe Galtier, but the arrival of Luis Enrique changed everything. The Spanish coach recently said that his only mistake as Spain manager was failing to call Fabián up for the World Cup. Lucho has always had tremendous faith in the former Real Betis player. When the media still did not understand what he saw in him, he gave Fabián complete control of the midfield. Time ultimately proved him right, both on the field and in terms of trophies.

“Fabián does things that journalists don’t see. He’s an extraordinary player.”

Fabián is happy in Paris, and he shows it every day by more than justifying the faith Luis Enrique placed in him from the moment he arrived in the French capital. He recently signed a contract extension, further proof of the Spaniard’s importance to the best team in Europe. Meanwhile, in Spain, people are left shaking their heads at the fact that a talent of his caliber has gone eight years without playing in La Liga.

PSG, where he has become indispensable, wants to keep enjoying the quality of a player who may be the most underrated midfielder in the world.

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