The final against Arsenal in Budapest remained deadlocked for 120 minutes before settling in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout. PSG’s goalkeeper produced a crucial save in the shootout, while Ousmane Dembélé’s decisive penalty sealed the 5-4 victory on penalties.

From deficit to destiny

Arsenal struck first within five minutes through a clinical finish, putting PSG on the back foot. The French champions struggled to find rhythm in the opening exchanges but showed their championship mettle when Dembélé converted a second-half penalty to level the score at 1-1 in the 64th minute.

The dramatic finale saw both teams create chances but neither could break the deadlock in regular time or extra time. The tension reached its peak during the penalty shootout, where PSG’s composure under pressure ultimately prevailed.

A place in football immortality

By defending their Champions League title, PSG joined an elite group of clubs who have achieved consecutive European triumphs in the modern era. Only Real Madrid, under Zinedine Zidane’s guidance, had previously managed back-to-back victories between 2016 and 2018.

The victory marks a new chapter in French football’s history, with PSG becoming the first club from the country to achieve this remarkable feat.

World Cup preparations underway

The triumph also sets the stage for six French players directly involved in the final to join the national team’s World Cup preparations. Lucas Hernandez, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé (PSG) and William Saliba (Arsenal) will soon report to Clairefontaine for training. Their first competitive outing comes on June 4th against Côte d’Ivoire in Nantes.