Fueled by exciting young talent and significant investment, Paris Saint-Germain was finally crowned champions of Europe last night.
In a display worthy of exhibition, teenager Desire Doue delivered a stunning performance against an older Inter Milan defense, scoring two goals and providing an assist. His contribution was key to securing the most dominant victory margin in any European Cup Final.
Luis Enrique’s side dismantled Inter just as they had overcome four English Premier League teams on their path to this triumphant night in Bavaria.
This is a team fundamentally different from the era dominated by the star trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe at the Parc des Princes. PSG now exemplifies top-tier, energetic, and truly selfless teamwork, executing every action with both beauty and effectiveness.
Achraf Hakimi, one of their formidable attacking full-backs, opened the scoring.
Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia emphatically struck the fourth goal and then demonstrated the team`s ethos by sprinting back over 70 yards to halt an Inter counter-attack even with his side leading 4-0 late in the match.
Another 19-year-old, Senny Mayulu, completed the scoring with a late goal set up by Bradley Barcola.
While 19-year-old Doue, signed from Rennes last summer, was the standout performer, Ousmane Dembele played a significant role in three goals, strengthening his case for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Fourteen years after the Qatari state took ownership of PSG, and following a final defeat under Thomas Tuchel in 2020, this marked their crowning moment.
PSG’s squad had an average age of 23 this season, compared to Inter, which was the oldest in the competition at just over 30.
Any predictions that Inter’s experience and tactical awareness would be a match for this vibrant young PSG team proved completely unfounded.
This was the fifth time Munich hosted a European Cup Final, and for the fifth time, a new champion was crowned, following Nottingham Forest, Marseille, Borussia Dortmund, and Chelsea.
Furthermore, after Marseille`s win at the old Olympic Stadium in 1993, this was only the second time a French club lifted the prestigious trophy.
PSG had convincingly defeated all four Premier League teams they faced in this year’s competition, while Inter had eliminated final hosts Bayern Munich before overcoming Barcelona in a memorable semi-final. Thus, despite perhaps not being the most anticipated fixture for English fans, both teams were truly deserving finalists.
Inter could have potentially denied Manchester City their treble in the Istanbul final two years prior, but this match proved too challenging for Simone Inzaghi’s side.
Inzaghi`s team seemed content to sit back defensively, absorbing pressure and allowing the younger opponents to dictate play.
However, PSG proved too formidable for such a passive strategy, and after just 12 minutes, they scored with impressive simplicity. Vitinha initiated the move with a precise pass that released Doue, who then squared the ball for Hakimi to easily tap in at the far post.
