For years, Paris Saint-Germain chased this moment. The glitz, the glamour, the heartbreak — it’s all defined PSG’s modern era in Europe.
Neymar’s tricks, Mbappé’s sprints, Messi’s cameos — and yet, every season ended in disappointment. Until now. Until Luis Enrique’s gritty, no-nonsense PSG side rewrote the script in the most emphatic way possible.
In the 2025 Champions League final, PSG didn’t just win. They crushed Inter Milan. 3–0. A clean, surgical dismantling of one of the most experienced, balanced teams in Europe.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t some fluke. This wasn’t a lucky night, or a referee decision, or a moment of individual magic that rescued a faltering performance. This was dominance. From the first whistle to the last.
Inter were never in it.
A New-Look PSG, A New Era
The team that took the pitch in Berlin looked almost nothing like the PSG of old. There was no Mbappé. No Neymar. No Messi. Not even the fading aura of Sergio Ramos. Instead, it was a fresh blend of intelligence, athleticism, and relentless pressure.
Warren Zaïre-Emery, once seen as a promising academy product, now looks like a midfield general. Alongside him, Vitinha had the game of his life — dynamic, sharp, and unrelenting in his ball progression. And then there was João Neves, PSG’s most recent midfield acquisition. At 20 years old, he bossed the center of the park with the composure of a veteran.
Up front, Ousmane Dembélé — the eternal enigma — played like a man reborn. The same player who once frustrated Barcelona fans now looks like one of Europe’s most dangerous wide men. And Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the Georgian winger with the gravity-defying feet, reminded the world why Napoli once clung to him like a crown jewel.
It was Kvaratskhelia who opened the scoring with a rasping effort from the edge of the box in the 12th minute — a goal that set the tone for the night. The second came before halftime, with Dembélé latching onto a through ball and finishing coolly past Sommer. Inter were stunned.
The third goal? Fittingly, it came from Zaïre-Emery, crashing a header in from a corner to seal the trophy. Game over. Season over. Narrative flipped.
Inter Milan: Outrun, Outclassed, Out of Ideas
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter side had been a model of consistency this season. They dominated Serie A, swatted away top teams in Europe, and reached the final without breaking a sweat. But against this PSG side, they were left gasping for air.
Lautaro Martínez was anonymous. Nicolò Barella looked overwhelmed. Even the usually dependable defense of Acerbi and Bastoni was torn apart by PSG’s movement and pace.
Inter had no response. No control. No ideas. And in a final, that’s fatal.
This was their shot — a second final in three years, and the best squad they’ve had in over a decade. But just like in 2023, they leave empty-handed. And this time, with scars that will take longer to heal.
PSG Without Mbappé: Better?
Now for the uncomfortable question: did PSG just look better without Kylian Mbappé?
The French superstar, now officially a Real Madrid player, watched from afar as his former club achieved the one thing he never could in Paris. And ironically, they did it with a team that had no real superstar — just eleven high-level players, running, pressing, and executing a manager’s plan to perfection.
There were no passengers. No egos to manage. No tactical compromises to accommodate a Ballon d’Or contender.
Luis Enrique’s PSG is not built around a single figure. It’s built around collective sacrifice and positional discipline. In many ways, that’s what finally made the difference in Europe.
Who Wins the Ballon d’Or?
Let’s talk about it. Is Kvaratskhelia the best player in the world? Maybe not. But is he now the Ballon d’Or favorite? Without a doubt.
20+ goals and assists. Ligue 1 champion. Champions League winner. Star performer in the final. The resume is ready. The narrative is clean. He didn’t just have a great season — he had the right season. The kind that France Football loves.
Jude Bellingham had an incredible year. So did Vinicius Junior. But this was Kvara’s night, and it might just be his year.
The End of an Era, the Start of Another
For PSG, this wasn’t just about winning a trophy. This was about changing their identity. Shedding the image of a vanity project. Becoming something more — a proper football team.
No more excuses. No more superstars. No more “next year.” The wait is over.
And for everyone who mocked them over the years, who joked about bottling big games, who laughed at their transfer policy?
PSG just silenced you. In the loudest way possible.
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