Football is a funny game, isn't it? For years, people joked that Paris Saint-Germain could spend all the money in the world and still never touch the Big Ears trophy. They had Messi. They had Neymar. They had Mbappe. Nothing. Then, they pivot. They go for a younger, hungrier squad under Luis Enrique, and suddenly, they're not just winning; they're dismantling the establishment.
The 2025 UEFA Champions League final wasn't just a match. It was a statement. A 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan at the Allianz Arena that left even the most cynical football fans rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Honestly, if you'd told me a year ago that a 19-year-old kid named Désiré Doué would be the hero of the biggest game in club football, I probably would’ve told you to calm down. But here we are.
The Night Paris Finally Conquered Europe
Munich was blue and red on May 31, 2025. You could feel it in the air at the Königsplatz where thousands of Parisians had gathered. The pressure on PSG was immense—decades of failure in this specific competition hanging over them like a dark cloud. But when the referee István Kovács blew that opening whistle, all that nervousness seemed to evaporate.
PSG started like a house on fire. They didn't just have the ball; they owned it. 61% possession in a final is a lot, but it’s what they did with it that mattered. In the 12th minute, Vitinha—who has basically become the heartbeat of this team—threaded a ball through to Doué. The kid didn't panic. He found Achraf Hakimi, and the former Inter man tapped it in. No celebration from Hakimi, obviously. Respect for his old club and all that. But the PSG fans? They nearly took the roof off the Allianz.
A Masterclass from Désiré Doué
If you haven't been following Doué's rise, you’ve been missing out. This kid is the real deal. Eight minutes after the first goal, he took a shot from the edge of the box. It took a nasty deflection off Dimarco, leaving Yann Sommer stranded. 2-0 before some fans had even found their seats.
👉 See also: LeBron James Without Beard: Why the King Rarely Goes Clean Shaven Anymore
Doué wasn't finished. He bagged his second in the 63rd minute, becoming the youngest player ever to score a brace in a Champions League final. He was everywhere. He was tracking back, winning duels, and making Inter's veteran defenders look like they were running in sand. He deservedly walked away with the Man of the Match award.
The match stats tell a brutal story for the Italians:
- Final Score: PSG 5, Inter 0
- Shots on Target: PSG 5, Inter 0
- Youngest Scorer: Désiré Doué (19)
- Attendance: 64,327
Why Inter Milan Collapsed
Inter aren't a bad team. Far from it. They’d coasted through the league phase, finishing fourth and only conceding one goal in eight games. Simone Inzaghi’s 3-5-2 system is usually a vault. But in Munich, the vault was wide open.
They had chances, sure. Francesco Acerbi missed a header in the 23rd minute that he scores nine times out of ten. Marcus Thuram had a golden opportunity at the 37-minute mark. If either of those go in, we’re probably talking about a completely different game. But they didn't. And when you’re playing a team with the clinical edge PSG showed, you can't afford to waste gifts.
✨ Don't miss: When is Georgia's next game: The 2026 Bulldog schedule and what to expect
By the time Khvicha Kvaratskhelia—another inspired signing—lashed home the fourth goal in the 73rd minute, Inter were done. The heads went down. The "Nerazzurri" fans started heading for the exits. It was a "long night in Bavaria" for them, as the commentators like to say.
The Record-Breaking Margin
We have to talk about the scale of this win. 5-0. That is the largest margin of victory in a Champions League final history. It broke the previous record held by AC Milan (4-0 vs Barcelona in 1994).
Think about that. In the 70-year history of the European Cup, nobody has ever been beaten this badly in the final. It’s almost hard to wrap your head around, especially against an Italian side known for their defense. But Luis Enrique’s PSG is built differently. They don't just want to win; they want to humiliate.
The Legacy of the 2025 UEFA Champions League Final
So, what does this mean for the future? Well, for one, the "PSG can't win the big one" narrative is officially dead and buried. They didn't just win it; they won a continental treble—Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and the Champions League. Only a handful of clubs have ever done that.
🔗 Read more: Vince Carter Meme I Got One More: The Story Behind the Internet's Favorite Comeback
Luis Enrique joined the elite club of managers who have won the treble twice, alongside Pep Guardiola. It’s a massive validation of his "team first" approach. No more galacticos. No more egos. Just a group of extremely talented, incredibly fit young players who buy into a system.
- New Format Success: This was the first year of the new "Swiss Model" league phase. PSG actually struggled early on, finishing 15th and having to go through a play-off against Brest. They played 16 games to get to the final. Maybe that extra battle-hardening is what made the difference?
- The Academy Rises: Seeing 17-year-old Senny Mayulu come off the bench and score the fifth goal in the 86th minute was the icing on the cake. It showed that PSG’s production line is finally starting to bear fruit on the biggest stage.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking at why this happened, look at the recruitment. PSG stopped buying "names" and started buying "profiles." Kvaratskhelia and Doué provided the width and directness that Inter's wing-backs couldn't handle.
For Inter, this is a painful lesson in transitions. Their squad is aging, and against the high-intensity press of a Luis Enrique team, that age showed. They’ll need to refresh that backline if they want to get back to this level.
If you want to relive the tactical breakdown, focus on the 20th minute. Watch the "acrobatic clearance" by Willian Pacho that started the counter for the second goal. That single moment—defensive grit turning into offensive lightning—basically sums up the modern PSG. They are no longer just a collection of stars; they are a machine.
Moving forward, keep an eye on how PSG handles being the hunted rather than the hunter. Winning once is hard. Defending it is legendary. But for now, Paris can finally say it: they are the Kings of Europe.
To get the most out of your post-match analysis, compare the distance covered by PSG's midfield versus Inter's. The French side outran them by nearly 6km over the 90 minutes. That physical dominance, combined with technical precision, is the new blueprint for European success. If you're building a team today, that's the standard you have to meet.