Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is on the brink of achieving what has long seemed just out of reach. After nearly 15 years of major investment and dramatic highs and lows, the French club heads into Saturday’s Champions League final against Inter Milan as the clear favourite to lift the trophy for the first time in its history.
The journey hasn’t been easy. Since Qatar Sports Investments bought the struggling club in 2011, PSG has spent more than two billion euros building a team to conquer Europe. For years, though, the strategy focused on flashy signings rather than building a balanced squad. Despite bringing in stars like Neymar, Mbappe, and even Lionel Messi, PSG often fell short in Europe’s biggest matches.
Things began to change in 2023. Neymar and Messi left the club, and Coach Luis Enrique came in to take charge. Unlike previous managers, Enrique focused on creating a young, hungry, and hardworking team rather than relying solely on big names. This shift seems to have worked wonders. The current PSG side has not only won Ligue 1 again but has also impressed across Europe with their style and strength.
Fans and rival clubs have taken notice. After losing to PSG in the round of 16, Liverpool manager Arne Slot called them the “most complete team” his side had faced. And it’s hard to argue. The squad now includes rising stars like João Neves, Willian Pacho, Bradley Barcola, and Desire Doue. Even Ousmane Dembele, once known more for his potential than consistency, has scored 33 goals this season under Enrique’s leadership.
While Kylian Mbappe is still the biggest name in the team, his departure this summer has been known for some time. But Enrique is confident that the team is stronger even without him. The club president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, recently said the real star of PSG now is the team itself, not individual players.
This weekend’s final in Munich could be the moment PSG has waited for since their Qatari takeover. After missing out in 2020 and falling short many other times, they now have a solid, confident, and well-coached group ready to make history.
As Enrique put it last weekend, “We’ve been preparing for this since the start of the season. We’re ready, confident, and determined to write a new chapter in the club’s story.”
By Yockshard Enyendi