Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Arsenal: PSG make history by lifting the Champions League trophy

Head coach Luis Enrique has become the fifth coach to win the Champions League/European Cup treble, following in the footsteps of Bob Paisley, Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane.

In the year The Spaniard, who was announced as PSG boss in July 2023, won the Champions League as a player with Barcelona in 2014-15.

Incredibly, “he didn’t want to take the job when he was first asked,” journalist Gulem Balag told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“(He said) “You’re full of stars – I’m not interested’. He promised that he could change the culture and the question was different. It wasn’t how we won the Champions League, what kind of football we wanted?

“The answer was offensive, attractive and Luis Enrique was sure he could do that on his behalf.”

Under Luis Enrique, PSG lost their record goalscorer and Ligue 1 player of the year, Kylian Mbappe, to Real Madrid on a free transfer in 2024.

But the departure of the French forward has arguably helped balance the squad.

PSG have scored 44 more goals in all competitions than Mbappe (2024-25) compared to the club’s previous season.

“Everybody plays as a team,” says Balague of the current team.

PSG are the team with the fewest yellow cards in Europe’s top leagues. This is a reflection of emotional control and everyone is playing for everyone instead of getting angry.

“He[Luis Enrique]said before when Mbappe left that he would rather have five players score 50 than 10 goals. This season PSG have 20 goalscorers. It’s a collective approach.”

In 1999-2000, he tied the record for most goals scored in a single European Cup/Champions League match with 45 draws against Barcelona.

Luis Enrique has also developed a good relationship with PSG fans.

After securing last year’s Champions League triumph over Juventus in Europe in Berlin in 2015, the pair planted the Barcelona flag in the center circle for their coach and daughter Zana – in 2015.

In Budapest, before their victory over Arsenal, a huge banner showing Luis Enrique lifting the famous trophy was displayed by the French.

He was cheered passionately by PSG fans as he was lifted into the air by his players as he lifted the Champions League trophy.

After collecting the medal, he celebrated the club’s long-eluded trophy by dancing in front of President Nasser Al-Khelafi. Not once, but twice.