Paris Saint-Germain made history on Saturday night, but for manager Luis Enrique, the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League victory was deeply personal. As the final whistle blew on a 5-0 rout of Inter Milan at the Allianz Arena, Enrique’s thoughts turned not just to the scoreboard, but to his late daughter Xana — who passed away in 2019 from osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
The moment was marked with a powerful and emotional tribute from PSG supporters. As the players celebrated, fans unfurled a stunning hand-painted tifo showing Enrique planting a PSG flag in the ground with young Xana by his side — echoing a famous image from 2015, when he celebrated a Champions League title with Barcelona in similar fashion.
“It was very emotional with the banner from the fans for my family,” Enrique said, holding back tears during his post-match remarks. “But I always think about my daughter. She’s always in my heart.”
This heartfelt tribute was accompanied by chants echoing through the stadium as PSG supporters wore shirts featuring Xana and her father — turning the victory into a celebration of love, memory, and resilience.
On the pitch, PSG were dominant from start to finish. Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring in the 12th minute, followed by a quickfire second from 19-year-old sensation Désiré Doué just eight minutes later. Doué would go on to score a brace, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Senny Mayulu added goals in the second half to seal the emphatic win.
For Doué, the night marked a personal breakthrough as well: “I can’t believe what happened tonight,” he said. “We made history for the club, for French football, for Europe.”
Under Enrique’s leadership, PSG defeated Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal on their path to the final — an extraordinary journey capped off by a win that finally placed the Parisian giants among Europe’s elite.
“This was my mission from day one — to bring something this club had never won,” Enrique said. “Tonight, we did it. And I know my daughter would be proud.”
PSG’s triumph makes them the first French club to lift the Champions League trophy since Marseille in 1993, and the night will long be remembered not just for the goals scored, but for the emotions shared between a grieving father, his loyal supporters, and a city that now stands on top of European football.