By Andrew Gum
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fetched their name into football history, clinching their first-ever UEFA Champions League title with a resounding 5-0 victory over Inter Milan at Munich’s Allianz Arena. It marked the largest winning margin ever recorded in a Champions League or European Cup final.
After years of chasing European glory with star-studded line-ups featuring Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé, PSG’s pivot to a team-first approach — one that prioritised youth and balance — finally bore fruit. Ironically, the breakthrough came in their first season without Mbappé, who had departed for Real Madrid. Under the stewardship of Luis Enrique, PSG found a new identity and, ultimately, success.
Ruthless display of youth, cohesion
The final showcased the transformation of the French giants. Achraf Hakimi, formerly of Inter, opened the scoring in the 12th minute. Just eight minutes later, 19-year-old Désiré Doué doubled the lead with a deflected strike. The teenager wasn’t finished — in the second half, he netted again, becoming the youngest player since 1962 to score and assist in a Champions League final.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added the fourth with a well-taken goal, before another 19-year-old, Senny Mayulu, rounded off the scoring late in the match. It was a stunning, five-star performance that underlined PSG’s evolution from a collection of superstars to a cohesive, lethal unit.
PSG’s 13 first-half shots were the most in a Champions League final since records began in 2003-04, with five on target — matching the joint-highest for recent finals. Their dominance was built on more than just flair; it was a complete team performance.
New era for PSG, French Football
Midfielders Vitinha and João Neves dictated play with intelligent, accurate passing, while Ousmane Dembélé, now thriving as a centre-forward, pressed relentlessly and connected the attack with precision. At the back, Gianluigi Donnarumma stood tall — his reflexes, honed in knockout clashes against Liverpool and Arsenal, helped secure a clean sheet and cement his status as one of Europe’s top goalkeepers.
This historic victory made PSG only the second French club to win the European Cup, following Marseille’s triumph in 1993. It also sealed a continental treble — Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Champions League — making Luis Enrique only the second manager after Pep Guardiola to achieve this feat with two different clubs, having done so with Barcelona in 2015.
The club’s investment in rising stars like Doué, Neves, and Mayulu, alongside savvy acquisitions such as Kvaratskhelia, has paid off. In contrast to previous eras dominated by individual brilliance from the likes of Neymar and Messi, this PSG side thrived through teamwork, pressing, possession, and swift counter-attacks.
Fans, overcome with emotion, recalled former club legends such as Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimović — players who came close to European glory but fell short. Now, at last, PSG have reached the pinnacle.
Next, they will face Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup. With this landmark Champions League triumph, PSG have finally established themselves as a true European powerhouse — and look poised for even greater success in the years ahead.
