Mauricio Pochettino worked and played with the great and the good of football – and only a few he’d call geniuses. The Argentine manager spent two years as a player at Paris Saint-Germain, who play his former side Tottenham in the Super Cup – before also managing them for a year after five years in the Spurs dugout.Dembele was regarded by teammates, such as Harry Kane, as one of the best footballers of his timeFormer PSG and Tottenham manager Pochettino liked what he saw in DembeleGettyAnd while playing in the French capital between 2001 and 2003, he had the pleasure of calling Ronaldinho his teammate. One of the best in the world during his heyday, Pochettino also once shared a room with another legend of the game in Diego Maradona whom he played with at Newell’s Old Boys in their native Argentina.He later managed some of the greatest players, including Harry Kane, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.One player stood out, however.Speaking in 2017, Pochettino explained: “I always say, ‘Mousa [Dembele], in my book, you will be one of my genius players that I have been lucky to meet.’“One was Maradona, then Ronaldinho, [Jay-Jay] Okocha and [Ivan] De La Pena. He is a genius too, Mousa Dembele.“We always told him, ‘If we had taken you at eighteen or nineteen years old, you would have become one of the best players in the world.’ I would have loved to have taken him on at 18.”The PSG side featuring Pochettino and Ronaldinho also included Okocha as they narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification in 2002.Pochettino would enjoy his most successful spells as a player with Espanyol, though.His two stints at the Spanish side both saw him win the Copa del Rey, but it was during the second which he played alongside club legend De la Pena.Pochettino managed him at Spurs and called him one of the few genius players he has met in his careerGettyRonaldinho was the best player in the world at one point and Pochettino called the Brazil international a teammate at PSGGettyThe midfielder’s performances saw him adored by fans of the club as he helped Espanyol reach the UEFA Cup final in 2007, a year after Pochettino’s retirement.Dembele was on the same level as those legendary figures in Pochettino’s eyes.The pair worked together for five of the Belgian’s seven years at Spurs between 2012 and 2019.He suffered from injuries, but ended up playing some of his best football under Pochettino.What made Dembele special?Pochettino continued: “Mousa Dembele is completely different to when we arrived here.“He didn’t play too much in his first season, he always had problems, or physical problems. I must give all credit to [the coaching team].Pochettino has coached Messi, widely considered to be one of the greatest players of his timeGetty“Sports science and all the medical staff to create a Mousa Dembele now that is strong and can play. I think that every week if you are honest, you would agree with me.“He has started to work very hard. We provide individual plans to every player. I think we are very happy.”His teammates thought he was head and shoulders above everyone else. When asked to name the most naturally gifted player he had played alongside, former Spurs striker Kane said: “Everyone says it, but, Mousa Dembele.“In terms of technical, strength, power. Just incredible. We saw it in training every day. He wouldn’t let anyone come close to him. Amazing ability.”Kyle Walker said similar. “He’s a scandal. The only thing Dembele didn’t have was assists and goals, but he had stupid talent – it shouldn’t have been allowed.”Both Dembele and Pochettino left Spurs in 2019, with the latter going on to coach PSG.Argentina legend Maradona was the best of his generation and roomed with Pochettino in the former boss’ early playing careerGettyHe took charge of the club in January 2021 and spent 18 months in the hotseat.During that time, PSG won three trophies, including the Ligue 1 title in Pochettino’s only full season at the helm.However, he left at the end of the 2021/22 campaign following a disappointing last 16 exit from the Champions League.Following a season in charge of Chelsea, Pochettino is the current USA national team boss.When is PSG vs Spurs?His former clubs meet competitively for the first time in the Super Cup with Champions League winners PSG taking on Europa League winners Tottenham in Italy.Their clash at the Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy is their first-ever competitive fixture.Spurs won their first trophy in 17 years when the won the Europa League and now face Champions League winners PSG for the Super Cup, which Pochettino will be watching closely as his former sides battle it outAFPIt is also both clubs’ maiden appearance in the curtain-raiser for the new European season.Spurs will be hoping to win their fifth continental trophy having also been two-time UEFA Cup winners as well as Cup Winners’ Cup champions in 1963.Meanwhile, a victory for PSG would continue their silverware streak after a quadruple during the previous campaign.Luis Enrique’s side scooped the French Super Cup, Ligue 1, French Cup and Champions League before reaching the Club World Cup final.The match will be their first outing since that 3-0 final defeat to Chelsea in New York back in July.