Thousands of Paris Saint-Germain fans flooded the Champs-Elysées on Sunday to welcome their team as they paraded the UEFA Champions League trophy through the heart of Paris before capping the celebrations at their home stadium.
The players and staff arrived directly from Roissy airport aboard a team bus, fresh from their 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the final held in Munich. Crowds gathered along the route, waving flags and igniting flares, all eager to witness the club’s first-ever Champions League triumph.
Wearing shirts emblazoned with the number ‘25’, symbolizing their landmark win in 2025, the PSG players proudly lifted the trophy and addressed the jubilant fans along the way. “Let’s all sing together,” captain Marquinhos shouted to the crowd.
Later, head coach Luis Enrique, rising star Desire Doue — who scored twice in the final — and the rest of the squad were hosted at the Élysée Palace by French President Emmanuel Macron. He praised the team, stating, “You are the champions and you have put Paris at the top of Europe.” With a nod to his personal loyalty to PSG’s rival Olympique de Marseille, Macron added, “There were 11 of you on the field, but there was clearly a twelfth man — the entire French public, regardless of traditional allegiances.”
However, the night’s festivities were marred by violence in several parts of France. Authorities reported nearly 600 arrests, more than 200 cars burned, and widespread clashes with police. In Dax, a 17-year-old boy died from a stab wound, while in Paris, a 23-year-old on a scooter was fatally struck by a vehicle. A police officer was also critically injured by a firework and placed in an induced coma.
Macron condemned the unrest, calling it “unacceptable” and vowed accountability. “We will pursue, we will punish, we will be relentless,” he declared.
PSG also issued a statement distancing the club from the violence, asserting, “These isolated acts are contrary to the club’s values and in no way represent the vast majority of our supporters, whose exemplary behaviour throughout the season deserves to be commended.”
The day’s final celebration took place at the Parc des Princes, PSG’s home ground, where fans and players marked the historic achievement together.
According to broadcasters, 11.8 million people tuned in to watch the final, which saw PSG become the second French team ever — after Marseille in 1993 — to lift the prestigious trophy. The 5-0 scoreline also made history as the largest winning margin in a Champions League or European Cup final.
Under the ownership of Qatar Sports Investments since 2011, PSG has transitioned from acquiring global superstars like Messi and Neymar to focusing on nurturing young local talent. Nineteen-year-old Desire Doue solidified his reputation as a world-class talent, while fellow teenager Senny Mayulu added the fifth goal in the final after coming off the bench.
“In the dressing room, everyone broke down in their own way, you could see it in their eyes — people were filled with joy and pride,” Mayulu shared after the match.
Having previously lost in the 2020 final, PSG now aims to build on their success. “The objective now is to win again,” said club president Nasser al-Khelaifi. “It has taken 14 years of hard work but we are building something for the future.”
What you should know
Paris Saint-Germain’s emphatic Champions League victory marks a turning point in the club’s history, driven by young French talents like Doue and Mayulu. While the win ignited nationwide celebrations, it also exposed underlying social tensions as violence erupted across France.
