PSG celebrates winning the Champions League after defeating Inter Milan 5-0 - Photo: REUTERS
Overcoming history
In 1993, Marseille became the first French club to win the Champions League. But their title that year was tainted by a match-fixing scandal. Ahead of the Champions League final, Marseille asked Valenciennes players to play less when the two teams met in the domestic league. Marseille won 1-0 and went on to win the Champions League.
But the match-fixing scandal was quickly exposed, and Marseille's crowning glory season ended in disgrace. They were stripped of their domestic title and their place in the Champions League for the following season.
Marseille collapsed from that season, with consequences for French football in general. More than 10 years later, a French team reached the Champions League final, but Monaco lost 0-3 to Porto in the continental final.
In 2020, it was PSG's turn to reach the final and lose. And it was only now that France had its second Champions League champion, when PSG finally got their hands on the continental throne.
An absolute championship, like the way PSG destroyed Inter Milan 5-0 in the final. A proud championship, and no longer has any scars in the hearts of fans.
Billionaire Nasser Al-Khelaifi has spent billions of dollars to help PSG achieve its current achievements - Photo: REUTERS
Billion Dollar Championship
Of course, there will still be sarcasm that PSG has spent money to buy titles. In the 14 years since billionaire Nasser Al-Khelaifi took over the team, the French team has spent a total of 2.3 billion euros on players, and a further 3.3 billion euros on salaries for football stars. PSG's total spending on shopping and paying players' salaries amounted to 5.5 billion euros over 14 years, in exchange for winning the Champions League.
Too long and too much compared to Chelsea or Man City - also teams that changed their lives thanks to being bought by billionaires. But that doesn't mean PSG fans don't have the right to be proud. In fact, there were times when Paris fans were gloomy and pessimistic, thinking that their beloved team could never reach the Champions League title. That was when Messi and Neymar left the team in the summer of 2023.
With the trio of Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe in the team, PSG's player salary fund swelled to nearly 400 million euros in the 2021-2022 season, and only decreased slightly in the following season.
The reckless spending in return is a soulless team with nothing to look forward to other than a few individual moments of brilliance. At their best in terms of strength, PSG are actually at their worst in terms of performance. In the two years they have had the aforementioned trio, they have not advanced beyond the round of 16 of the Champions League.
Things began to improve when coach Luis Enrique arrived in the summer of 2023. He led the team to the Champions League semi-finals last year, and then said goodbye to Mbappe in the summer of 2024. It was only then that Luis Enrique was able to truly build PSG the way he wanted, and the French champions became a true collective. Like goalkeeper Donnarumma frankly stated, PSG were more united, more like a team after Mbappe left.
That path of progress is still paved with money. This season alone, PSG has spent an additional 240 million euros on players. Except for reserve goalkeeper Safonov, their four remaining new players have all played extremely well, becoming pillars in bringing PSG to the top of Europe. They are Joao Neves, Pacho, Doue and Kvaratskhelia. Dembele, Barcola and Lucas Hernandez have also joined the team since last season.
None of PSG’s starters in the Champions League final came from the club’s academy. On the other hand, Zaire-Emery and Mayulu were introduced in the 84th minute. Both are under-20s, homegrown products of PSG. Their contribution in the Champions League was negligible, but the midfielder duo have been regulars in Ligue 1.
With over 5 billion euros spent on player purchases and salaries, the Champions League title was eventually won by PSG. But coach Luis Enrique has finally done what many famous predecessors - from Ancelotti, Emery to Tuchel, Pochettino - could not do: remove the ego from the team.
One of the most powerful football teams in football history, finally reaching the point of owning the strongest club in Europe.
Before being owned by billionaire Al-Khelaifi, PSG had only won Ligue 1 twice and the Europa League once. But since 2011, they have won Ligue 1 11 times, 26 other domestic titles, and the Champions League. PSG also became the 9th team in history to own the "treble", including the Champions League, domestic championship and domestic cup.
When billionaire Al-Khelaifi took over PSG, the team was worth just 100 million euros. But today they are valued at 4.25 billion euros.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/niem-tu-hao-tron-ven-cua-nguoi-phap-20250602084200979.htm
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