How PSG Lifted Their Maiden Champions League Trophy

From Oblivion to Ambition: PSG Before QSI

When Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) took majority ownership of Paris Saint-Germain in 2011, PSG ranked a modest 48th in Europe, an astonishing rise from 90th just one year earlier.

After finishing fourth in Ligue 1 and bowing out of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 to Benfica, PSG were on par with clubs like VfB Stuttgart and Werder Bremen: respected locally, but far from Europe’s elite.

2011–12: The Dawn of the QSI Era

• Managers: Antoine Kombouaré (start), Carlo Ancelotti (from December 2011)

• Ligue 1 Finish: 2nd

• Europe: Europa League group stage exit

• End-of-Year Elo Rank: 28th

QSI’s plan was simple: “Spend big, hire big.” In the summer of 2011, PSG splashed €42 million on Javier Pastore(Palermo) and then added veteran Thiago Motta (Inter Milan) during the January window.

By December 2011, QSI had convinced Carlo Ancelotti (who was fresh off a disappointing club job) to take charge.

PSG lost just two of their final 23 league matches, finishing three points behind Montpellier. Clearly, the project was off to a strong start.

2012–13: PSG Domestic Domination; European Frustration

• Manager: Carlo Ancelotti

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st (by 12 points)

• Europe: Champions League Quarterfinals (eliminated 3–3 on away goals by Barcelona)

• End-of-Year Elo Rank: 8th

PSG’s “Brand-Name Blitz” began in earnest:

• Summer 2012 additions: Zlatan Ibrahimović, Thiago Silva, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marco Verratti

• January 2013: David Beckham and Lucas Moura

Ibra and Silva formed an immediate lethal partnership—Ibrahimović scored 35 goals in all competitions.

PSG won Ligue 1 by a remarkable margin but fell agonizingly short in the Champions League quarterfinal against Barcelona, conceding a late Pedro goal that ended their dreams.

Still, finishing Elo 8th marked PSG as a genuine contender.

2013–15: PSG Quarterfinal Nightmares Under Laurent Blanc

2013–14 Season

• Manager: Laurent Blanc

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st

• Europe: Champions League Quarterfinals (eliminated on away goals by Chelsea, 3–3 on aggregate)

• Elo Rank: 8th

Summer signings of Edinson Cavani and Marquinhos fueled a 38–4–2 domestic record. However, PSG once again fell to an away-goals defeat, surrendering a 3–1 first-leg lead to Chelsea.

2014–15 Season

• Manager: Laurent Blanc

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st

• Europe: Champions League Quarterfinals (crushed 5–1 by Barcelona)

• Elo Rank: 8th

Despite adding David Luiz, PSG squandered a seven-point deficit to Lyon in midseason before rerouting to a domestic quadruple.

However, Barcelona 6–1 in the quarters ended any hope of European glory once more. Off the pitch, PSG’s revenue soared to €481 million, 4th in Deloitte’s ranking.

2015–17: The Cavani/Ibra Duo and the La Remontada Collapse

2015–16 Season

• Manager: Laurent Blanc

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st

• Europe: Champions League Quarterfinals (eliminated by Manchester City, 3–2)

• Elo Rank: 5th

Ángel Di María’s arrival in 2015 was intended to replace Ibrahimović’s zest—only for Ibra and Cavani to combine for 61 goals.

PSG took Ligue 1 convincingly, yet President Nasser Al-Khelaifi branded the season a “failure” after City overturned a 2–0 first-leg deficit.

2016–17 Season

• Manager: Unai Emery

• Ligue 1 Finish: 2nd (behind Monaco)

• Europe: Champions League Round of 16 (famously outgunned by Barcelona’s “La Remontada”, 6–1)

• Elo Rank: 5th

PSG’s four-year Ligue 1 reign collapsed under Monaco’s brilliance—Mbappé, Falcao, Silva, Bernardo Silva—while “La Remontada” in 2017 changed soccer history.

After leading Barça 4–0 in Paris, PSG collapsed to 6–1 at Camp Nou, forcing an €222 million bid for Neymar in January 2018 to “reset” the club.

2017–20: Neymar/Mbappé Era

2017–18 Season

• Manager: Unai Emery

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st

• Europe: Champions League Round of 16 (eliminated 5–2 by Real Madrid)

• Elo Rank: 6th

Flash €222 million on Neymar, €180 million on Mbappé—PSG’s “Shock & Awe” strategy.

They romped through Ligue 1 but once again faltered in the Round of 16, this time at Real Madrid, after blowing a 2–0 first-leg lead.

2018–19 Season

• Manager: Thomas Tuchel

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st

• Europe: Champions League Round of 16 (eliminated on away goals by Manchester United, 3–3 aggregate)

• Elo Rank: 8th

Despite world-class signings like Di María, Navas, and Ramos, PSG became “the laughing stock” of Europe after letting a 2–0 first-leg lead slip to Manchester United, bowing out on away goals in 2019.

2019–20 Season

• Manager: Thomas Tuchel

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st (season ended early due to COVID-19)

• Europe: Champions League Final (lost 1–0 to Bayern Munich)

• Elo Rank: 3rd

Finally, PSG reached a Champions League final in Lisbon.

They pulled off stunning comebacks over Dortmund and Atalanta but fell 1–0 to Bayern Munich (Coman goal).

Their domestic quadruple was overshadowed by near misses in Europe.

2020–24: PSG Coaching Carousel and Messi Experiment

2020–21 Season

• Managers: Thomas Tuchel (start), Mauricio Pochettino (from December 2020)

• Ligue 1 Finish: 2nd (amid managerial turmoil)

• Europe: Champions League Semifinals (4–1 loss to Manchester City)

• Elo Rank: 4th

Tuchel’s December dismissal paved the way for Pochettino, but madness ensued when PSG again fell to Manchester City, this time in the semifinals. Still the world’s most valuable brand, PSG had Messi, Neymar, and Mbappé up front, yet pressing and team cohesion remained elusive.

2021–22 Season

• Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st

• Europe: Champions League Round of 16 (lost 3–2 to Real Madrid)

• Elo Rank: 7th

PSG landed Messi, Ramos, and Wijnaldum in summer 2021, hoping to finally conquer Europe.

They won Ligue 1 with ease but surrendered a 2–0 first-leg lead to Real Madrid in the Round of 16.

2022–23 Season

• Manager: Christophe Galtier

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st

• Europe: Champions League Round of 16 (lost 3–0 to Bayern Munich)

• Elo Rank: 15th

Despite signing Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, and Donnarumma, PSG again collapsed in the Round of 16, falling 3–0 to Bayern.

The “three superstars up front who refuse to press” formula had begun to crack.

2023–24 Season

• Manager: Luis Enrique

• Ligue 1 Finish: 1st

• Europe: Champions League Semifinals (lost 2–0 to Borussia Dortmund)

• Elo Rank: 7th

Luis Enrique, reuniting with Barça prodigies, signaled a pivotal strategic shift: replace big-name stars with a younger core. En route to a semifinal exit, PSG developed a pressing mentality but ultimately fell to Dortmund.

They again claimed every domestic trophy but watched Mbappé depart for Real Madrid, seemingly knocking the final nail in their Champions League coffin.

2024–25: The Age of Youth, Tactics, and Triumph

Manager: Luis Enrique
Ligue 1 Finish: 1st
Europe: Champions League Champions (5–0 vs. Inter Milan)
End-of-Year Elo Rank: 1st

After Mbappé’s shocking exit, many believed PSG’s European dream was dead. Instead, Luis Enrique doubled down on youth and modern tactics:

1. Key January Signings:

   • Gonçalo Ramos (Benfica) – a pressing-forward

   • Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli) – Georgian winger

   • Désiré Doué (Rennes) – 18-year-old attacking prodigy

   • João Neves (Benfica) – 19-year-old midfield orchestrator

   • Willian Pacho (Eintracht Frankfurt) – 22-year-old defender

2. Tactical Blueprint:

   • Luis Enrique taught progressive pressing, then counterpressing, then full-back inversions (Hakimi up front on the right; Nuno Mendes as a left-half-space No. 8).

   • He chose collective energy over individual star power.

     By December 2024, PSG had lost four of 12 Champions League Group Phase matches and sat 25th out of 36 in the new “league phase” system.

   • Starting with a 3–0 win at Salzburg (Dec. 10, 2024), PSG embarked on a 12-match unbeaten run, including:

     • 6–4 aggregate comeback vs. Liverpool in Round of 16

     • 5–1 aggregate win vs. Aston Villa in Quarterfinals

     • 3–1 aggregate win vs. Arsenal in Semifinals

   • Crucial role changes:

     • Ousmane Dembélé shifted from the right wing to center forward, scoring 27 goals and 8 assists in 31 matches after Dec. 15, 2024.

     • Désiré Doué earned a starting role, producing 15 goals and 13 assists in 38 matches since Dec. 16, 2024—averaging 0.74 xG+xA per 90, up from 0.45 in his first 17 games.

3. Knockout Round Mastery:

   • Allowed just 44.1 progressive carries per match (their best mark ever)

   • Averaged 18.6 shots per 90—higher than any Mbappé/Neymar/Messi season

   • Led the Champions League in direct attacks (4.1 per match) and counterattack shots (3.1 per match)

The 5–0 demolition of Inter Milan in Munich on June 1, 2025, was more than a trophy—it was a statement. PSG became only the second French club to lift the European Cup (after Marseille, 1993). Their final Elo rank: 1st in Europe.

PSG’s Remarkable Roster: A Youth Explosion

PSG’s squad is now a youth juggernaut:

• Dembélé (28), Hakimi (26), Vitinha (25), Kvaratskhelia (24) – in prime form

• Barcola (22), Nuno Mendes (22), Randal Kolo Muani (23) – future core

• Teenagers carving roles:

  • Désiré Dogué (18): 15 goals, 13 assists in 2024–25

  • Warren Zaire-Emery (19): 2,865 minutes across competitions

  • João Neves (19): 3,692 minutes, midfield prodigy

  • Senny Mayulu (19): 1,068 minutes, semifinal and final contributor

  • Yoram Zague (19), Axel Tape (17), Noham Kamara (18) – rarely used but poised for breakout

Together, they form “the deepest and most frighteningly young roster in world football,” built to dominate pressing battles, overwhelm opponents, and—if all continues smoothly—dictate European competition for years to come.

PSG’s Journey from 48th to Champions

PSG’s transformation over 14 years has been a roller coaster of lavish spending, quarterfinal heartbreaks, iconic failures (La Remontada, late comebacks conceded), and cosmetic rebrands.

 Eventually, QSI’s billions translated into tactical coherence under Luis Enrique, and PSG finally claimed the single trophy that had evaded them for more than a decade.

Having once flirted with superstardom and global “cool factor,” PSG ultimately won the Champions League only after eschewing big names for a balanced, energetic, youth-infused squad.

Their 5–0 final victory is arguably the greatest performance ever in a Champions League final, cementing PSG’s place among Europe’s truly “modern giants.”

From 48th in Europe in 2011 to a record-breaking 5–0 final triumph in 2025, PSG have written one of the sport’s most extraordinary success stories and their best years may still lie ahead.