Luis Enrique stood in front of the cameras after the UEFA Super Cup final, a smile on his face, but also an honesty in his voice that many managers would have avoided. Paris Saint-Germain had just beaten Tottenham Hotspur in one of the most dramatic finishes you could imagine, lifting yet another European trophy, but the PSG boss was not pretending that it had been a masterclass. In fact, he admitted what everyone watching already knew – his side were not at their best. For 80 minutes of the match, Tottenham looked like the better team, sharper, more prepared, and hungrier. Yet somehow, PSG had clawed their way back from the brink, turned disaster into glory, and walked away as champions.
The night had started with so much promise for Tottenham. This was not just a game – it was a chance to make a statement to the whole of Europe. They were the Europa League winners, and now they had a shot at taking down the giants of France, the Champions League holders. With a new captain in Cristian Romero and fresh energy in the squad after a solid pre-season, Spurs were ready. The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric, and the players responded, pushing PSG back from the very first whistle.
The match’s first big moment came when Micky Van de Ven, not exactly a player known for his goalscoring, found himself in the right place at the right time. Tottenham had been building pressure, moving the ball quickly, and when the chance came, Van de Ven made no mistake. His goal sent the Spurs fans wild, and you could feel a shift – they believed they could do it. Luis Enrique, on the other hand, looked slightly worried on the touchline. His team had only been back in training for six days after a gruelling summer, and it showed.
That summer had been unlike any other for PSG. After winning the Champions League, they flew to the United States to participate in the expanded FIFA Club World Cup. It was a competition that demanded everything from them – high-intensity matches, long flights, different time zones, and the pressure of representing Europe against the best from every continent. They had gone all the way to the final, which was played on July 13, 2025. And while lifting another trophy in the US felt good at the time, it came at a cost. By the time they returned to Europe, there was no proper rest and no real pre-season. The players barely had time to breathe, let alone prepare for another big European match.
Tottenham’s second goal summed up the difference in sharpness between the two sides. Cristian Romero, wearing the captain’s armband for the first time in a competitive final, rose high from a corner and powered his header into the net. Spurs were in dreamland. They had a 2-0 lead against one of the best sides in the world, and the clock was ticking towards full-time. The PSG fans in the stadium were quieter now, almost resigned to defeat. On the bench, Enrique kept urging his players forward, but deep down, he knew that Tottenham had been the better team.
Then, football did what football does best – it ripped up the script. With just five minutes left, Lee Kang-In, one of PSG’s most technically gifted players, found a bit of magic. Picking up the ball in a crowded area, he weaved his way past defenders and calmly slotted it into the bottom corner. Suddenly, it was 2-1, and the mood shifted. The PSG supporters found their voice again. Tottenham, who had been so confident, now looked a little nervous.
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And then came the moment that will live long in PSG memory. Deep into stoppage time, with almost everyone pushed forward, Goncalo Ramos popped up with the equaliser. It was a striker’s finish – sharp, precise, and cold under pressure. Spurs players fell to the ground in disbelief. They had been seconds away from lifting the trophy, but now the game was going to penalties.
In the shootout, PSG’s experience shone through. They held their nerve, converting four penalties to Tottenham’s three. When the final spot-kick hit the net, PSG’s players sprinted towards their fans in celebration. Luis Enrique hugged his coaching staff, relief washing over his face. They had done it – somehow.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Enrique didn’t hide from the truth. “For 80 minutes we didn’t deserve that,” he said. “I think Tottenham deserved to win the match because we can feel that they were in form. They had been training for six weeks, they played a great match. We have been training only for six days but sometimes football is unfair.”
He went on to admit just how close PSG had come to losing. “I have to say that we were very lucky in the last 10 minutes, we could have scored two goals and I have to say that my players fought until the last minute like our supporters. But football is unpredictable and in that sense I have to say we were very lucky.”
The key reason for PSG’s lack of sharpness, Enrique explained, was the Club World Cup. It wasn’t just about the games; it was about the schedule, the travel, and the mental fatigue. “Absolutely,” he said when asked if the summer tournament had affected their performance. “From the first minute when the players touched the ball, when the players played without having the time to think about where you have to pass. It is difficult to play the way we want to play if you don’t train or have the time to train and I have to say that it was like a miracle.”
And that’s the thing – it really was a miracle in footballing terms. Tottenham had everything in their favour – fitness, momentum, home crowd advantage – yet PSG found a way. That comes from having world-class players who can produce moments of brilliance even when they are far from their peak. It also comes from having a winning mentality, the kind that has been built over years of competing at the very top level.
For Tottenham, the pain will linger. They were so close to adding another major trophy to their cabinet, and to lose it in such dramatic fashion will hurt. But there were positives – they had matched PSG for almost the entire game and had shown that they could compete with the very best.
For PSG, the win will be remembered not as a flawless performance, but as a testament to resilience. Sometimes, the best victories are not the ones where you dominate, but the ones where you dig deep, fight against the odds, and find a way to win when it seems impossible. This was one of those nights.
Luis Enrique knows there’s work to be done. He will be hoping for a proper run of training sessions before the new season kicks in fully. But for now, he and his players can enjoy the feeling of holding another European trophy, even if they had to suffer more than expected to get it.
