Paris Erupts as PSG Parades First-Ever Champions League Trophy, Macron Praises Team Amid Violent Celebrations
Tens of thousands of jubilant football fans flooded the Champs-Elysees on Sunday to celebrate Paris Saint-Germain’s historic triumph, as players and staff paraded the Champions League trophy through the heart of the French capital before a grand celebration at their home stadium.
The PSG squad arrived by bus straight from Roissy airport, returning from Munich where they crushed Inter Milan 5-0 in Saturday’s final. Ecstatic supporters lined the parade route, welcoming the team with cheers, flags, and flares, savoring the club’s maiden victory in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.
Players, all clad in jerseys marked with the number ‘25’, waved the trophy from the top of the bus and engaged with the crowd. “Let’s all sing together,” bellowed captain Marquinhos, rallying fans in a moment of unity and triumph.
Coach Luis Enrique and the team, including 19-year-old breakout star Désiré Doué—who dazzled with two goals in the final—were later honored at a reception at the Élysée Palace, hosted by President Emmanuel Macron. The French leader heaped praise on the champions.
“You are the champions, and you’ve put Paris at the summit of Europe,” Macron declared. “There were 11 of you on the pitch, but clearly a twelfth man was with you—the entire French public, regardless of their club allegiances,” he added with a wink, alluding to his own support for PSG’s arch-rivals, Olympique de Marseille.
However, Macron also condemned the violence that marred the night of PSG’s victory. Across France, police made nearly 600 arrests after violent incidents broke out in celebration. Over 200 cars were set ablaze, and police clashed with groups of youths in several cities.
Tragically, a 17-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in the chest in the southwestern town of Dax. In central Paris, a 23-year-old man on a scooter died after being struck by a vehicle. Additionally, a police officer was placed in an induced coma after suffering injuries from a firework.
“Nothing can justify what has occurred over the past hours,” Macron said firmly. “The violent clashes are unacceptable. We will pursue, we will punish, and we will be relentless.”
The President also commended PSG and its players for swiftly condemning the violence. “These isolated acts do not reflect the club’s values and certainly not the behavior of the vast majority of our fans, whose conduct all season has been exemplary,” PSG stated on Sunday.
Authorities remained on high alert Sunday to prevent a repeat of Saturday’s chaos, especially in light of last Monday’s harrowing incident in Liverpool, where a car plowed into a crowd during a Premier League parade, injuring 79 people.
PSG’s victory celebrations were set to conclude with a festive event at their Parc des Princes stadium.
The Champions League final drew an estimated 11.8 million viewers on French television. PSG became only the second French team, after Marseille in 1993, to lift the coveted trophy. Their dominant 5-0 win marked the largest margin ever recorded in a Champions League or European Cup final.
Since its acquisition by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, PSG has undergone a dramatic transformation. After years of relying on global stars like Neymar and Lionel Messi, the club shifted its focus in recent seasons to nurturing young French talent.
Doué’s dazzling performance in the final solidified his reputation as one of football’s rising stars. Fellow 19-year-old Senny Mayulu came off the bench late in the game to score the fifth goal.
“In the dressing room, everyone broke down in their own way—you could see it in their eyes. Everyone was overwhelmed with joy and pride,” Mayulu said after the match.
Having fallen short in their only other final appearance five years ago, PSG is now setting its sights even higher. “The goal now is to win again,” said club president Nasser al-Khelaifi. “It’s taken 14 years of hard work, but we’re building something for the future.”
