The Paris-based football powerhouse defeated English Premier League side Arsenal in a nail-biting final held in Budapest on May 30, repeating their 2025 triumph in Munich. The match concluded in dramatic fashion after a penalty shootout decided the outcome, following a 90-minute stalemate and 30 minutes of extra time.

From early setback to legendary comeback

Arsenal struck first through a fifth-minute strike, leaving PSG trailing at halftime. The French champions, however, regrouped and found an equalizer in the 64th minute through a converted penalty by world-class forward Ousmane Dembélé, who claimed the Ballon d’Or the previous season.

The tension remained palpable until the final whistle of extra time, with neither team able to break the deadlock. The destiny of the trophy was ultimately sealed from the penalty spot, where PSG’s composure prevailed over Arsenal’s attempts.

A place in the record books

By securing back-to-back Champions League titles, Paris Saint-Germain joins an elite group of clubs that have dominated Europe in the modern era. Only Real Madrid, under the stewardship of Zinedine Zidane, had previously achieved this feat, claiming three consecutive crowns from 2016 to 2018.

Path to the World Cup

Seven French internationals featured in this high-stakes final, including PSG’s Lucas Hernandez, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Désiré Doué, Bradley Barcola, and Ousmane Dembélé, alongside Arsenal’s William Saliba. These players will now reconvene with the French national team at Clairefontaine ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup. An international friendly against Côte d’Ivoire is scheduled for June 4 at Nantes’ Stade de la Beaujoire, providing an early test ahead of the global tournament.