Champions League final: How Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain changed

In the year In 2011, PSG was a paradox – a big European capital, a huge talent pool, but a club lacking structure, prestige and stability.

They didn’t have any stars, they didn’t have a sustainable model and a clear football philosophy.

Despite having big names like Ronaldinho, Pauletta, Ludovic Giulio and Claude Makelele in the first decade of the 21st century, PSG needed to be seen as relevant and credible in the world of football before they could dream of competing with Europe’s elite.

The Ultras were banned after violence ended in fan deaths, leaving the Parc des Princes with its most passionate supporters for the first five years of the new era. They returned in It was only in 2016 that Al-Khelafi decided that the majority is not responsible for the actions of the few.

QSI’s early years were characterized by outrageous costs. Critics labeled it the ‘Screaming Age’ but internally it was seen as the fastest way to the top.

As with Newcastle and Manchester City, PSG have had to answer questions about the source of their money and their owners have been accused of ‘laundering the sport’, where governments invest in sports to help clean up their tarnished reputations.

Signing international stars – Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi – forced PSG into the international conversation.

This chapter has brought domestic dominance and deep Champions League runs. But it also created internal tension. Stars signal the dynamics of the dressing room, influence tactical decisions and sometimes cloud the public in vague controversy over issues such as training schedules or who should take penalties.

Mbappe, 18, and his family told club representatives they would only join PSG over Real Madrid if he was guaranteed to play every game and if Neymar wrote into his contract that he had the power to decide not to travel to certain games.

When basketball player Kobe Bryant visited his old training ground, Neymar and Mbappe wanted to break the schedule set by then head coach Unai Emery.

He made them rest. They wanted to train with an eagerness to impress Kobe. That battle was won by Emery — but those fights left scars.

This era built PSG’s global brand, but also exposed the limitations of the star-centric model.