We answer questions in extremal combinatorics, for directed graphs. Specifically, we investigate which large tree-like directed graphs are contained in all dense directed graphs of large order. More precisely, let T be an oriented tree of order n; among others, we establish the following results. (1) We obtain a sufficient condition which ensures every tournament of order n contains T, and show that almost every tree possesses this property. (2) We prove that for all positive C, ɛ and sufficiently large n, every tournament of order (1+ɛ)n contains T if Δ(T)≤(log n)^C. (3) We prove that for all positive Δ, ɛ and sufficiently large n, every directed graph G of order n and minimum semidegree (1/2+ɛ)n contains T if Δ(T)≤Δ. (4) We obtain a sufficient condition which ensures that every directed graph G of order n with minimum semidegree at least (1/2+ɛ)n contains T, and show that almost every tree possesses this property. (5) We extend our method in (4) to a class of tree-like spanning graphs which includes all orientations of Hamilton cycles and large subdivisions of any graph. Result (1) confirms a conjecture of Bender and Wormald and settles a conjecture of Havet and Thomassé for almost every tree; (2) strengthens a result of Kühn, Mycroft and Osthus; (3) is a directed graph analogue of a classical result of Komlós, Sárközy and Szemerédi and is implied by (4) and (5) is of independent interest.