Lee Kang-in, Ramos change PSG's fate

Lee Kang-in entered the field and immediately left his mark.

On a stifling evening in Udine, when Thomas Frank’s Tottenham looked poised to lift their second European Cup in just three months, PSG struck back. And the blow came not from expected stars like Desire Doue or Ousmane Dembélé, but from two names who were on the fringes of last season’s plans: Lee Kang-in and Gonçalo Ramos.

The unexpected hero

85 minutes of suffocation, 10 minutes of turning the situation around Tottenham entered the game with the cold pragmatism of a newly restructured team. They played directly, pressed intelligently and exploited set-piece situations.

Two goals from Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero put Spurs in control. Meanwhile, PSG looked like a team with a bit of salt in their hair: slow, lacking in contact, and leaving huge gaps in set-piece situations.

But football is full of unexpected moments. Coach Luis Enrique brought on Lee Kang-in in the 68th minute, then Gonçalo Ramos in the 77th. With them came a wave of energy, causing Tottenham's already solid defense to begin to crack.

Lee, who had faded in the final stages of last season and was often linked with a move away, immediately made a difference with his ability to maneuver and handle the ball in tight spaces. He fired a powerful long-range shot to reduce the score to 1-2, rekindling hope for PSG.

Ramos thought he would leave PSG in the summer of 2025.

Ramos, the “number 9” who many thought would leave Paris this summer, proved his worth with his sharp scoring instincts. In the 6th minute of injury time, when Tottenham seemed to have sealed the victory, Dembele broke free down the right and crossed accurately. Ramos darted in like an arrow, heading the ball past Guglielmo Vicario to equalize 2-2 and take the match to penalties. The rest, as they say, is history with a 4-3 victory for PSG.

Those goals were not just flashes of brilliance, but also evidence of a weapon PSG possesses that is rarely mentioned: squad depth. Ousmane Dembélé, the 2025 Ballon d’Or nominee, admitted after the match: “When we were 2-0 down, we knew there was no time to think. We had to score to come back, and the arrival of Gonçalo, Ibrahim and Kang-in gave us energy, made the difference. We pushed until the last second.”

Captain Marquinhos also chuckled as he said: “We needed a number nine to score that goal - and Ramos did it.”

Luis Enrique explained this victory with his undying belief: “I always believe that after the 80th minute, football often has surprises. Players from the bench changed the game – Lee Kang-in, Gonçalo Ramos, Ibrahim Mbaye, Fabian Ruiz – all contributed.”

The moment of change

It is worth noting that neither Lee nor Ramos entered the game as “the chosen ones”. They were placed behind in the priority order, rumored to be leaving, and were once considered backup plans for big games. However, in Udine, these two players rewrote the story: from “second choice” to hero, leading PSG to their first European title of the season.

Lee changed PSG's destiny.

Ramos, in the mixed zone after the match, not only confirmed he would be staying in Paris this season but also spoke about the philosophy PSG needed to maintain: “The ones who come off the bench have to make the difference. We never give up. It was a great day, with a special title.”

PSG didn’t just beat Tottenham; they won by turning things around against a disadvantage, in a game where their physical and touch were clearly not at their best. It was a reminder to the rest of Europe that even when this team is not firing on all cylinders, they can still find a way to finish off opponents with the cards up their sleeves.

For Tottenham, the defeat hurt because they played a game that was almost tactically perfect. But in top-level football, sometimes just a few minutes of lapse in concentration can ruin a carefully prepared plan.

For PSG, this victory is more than just a trophy. It is a message of depth, character and the ability to turn things around. And above all, it is proof that in Paris, heroes can emerge from the most unlikely of names.

When Lee Kang-in's shot rattled the net and Gonçalo Ramos flew in a header in injury time, they didn't just score - they marked the moment they emerged from the shadow of 'backup plans' to become symbols of a victory that will be remembered forever.

Source: https://znews.vn/lee-kang-in-ramos-thay-doi-van-menh-psg-post1576838.html