New PSG star born as Champions League winners make history with record triumph

Desire Doue grew up idolising greats like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar - but now French kids everywhere will want to be just like him.

The teenager struck twice as Paris Saint Germain became European champions for the first time with a masterclass in the art of football good enough to be shown in the Louvre. Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Senny Mayulu were also on target for Luis Enrique’s brilliant young team in the most one-sided final since stuck seven goals past Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960.

This was a vintage performance in every way - and the Eiffel Tower was lit up in blue and red for the occasion. More than 30,000 Parisians and millions watching around the globe were stunned to see an Inter team famed for its fighting spirit wave the white flag in the face of ’s brilliance.

PSG had already won the Ligue 1 title and French Cup. By clinching the Treble they have joined an elite list of clubs that only includes , , Ajax, Celtic, PSV, both Manchester clubs and Inter themselves.

Simone Inzaghi’s team had no answer to the sheer class of Enrique's tyros.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

Munich has now staged five finals - and every one has been won by a team lifting the European Cup for the first time.

It was a good omen for PSG as they looked to emulate , Marseille, and . Enrique’s men made sure age was never going to come before beauty with an energetic opening that blew Inter away with two goals inside the 20 minutes.

Seven Inter players who started the 2023 final defeat against were given the chance of redemption, but Simone Inzaghe’s team included a 37-year-old centre-back, two players aged 36 and no-one under 27. By contrast, PSG captain Marquinhos was the only survivor from the French club’s one previous final appearance in 2020 - and the Brazilian the only player in the team in his 30s.

Any thoughts of the Parisians freezing on the big occasion were instantly dismissed. Enrique’s team probed with the ball and pressed without it - and they were ahead in the 12th minute through Hakimi.

The Madrid-born Moroccan is a full-back in name but not nature. When Vitinha’s pass found Ousmane Dembele, he looked up to see Hakimi stood alone eight yards out and provided him with a cross that couldn’t be missed. Hakimi spent a year at Inter so resisted the temptation to celebrate his ninth goal of the season in front of fans who must have already feared the worst.

Inter showed in their epic semi-final conquest of Barcelona that they have remarkable powers of recovery. But they had no answer to PSG’s precision for the opening goal and when the French scored again it was pace and power they couldn’t cope with.

Dembele led a searing break down the left to attack and lured a gang of defenders his way before switching the ball to Doue. The teenager’s fierce strike flew past Inter keeper Yann Somer after taking a deflection off Federico Dimarco.

When Inter finally recovered their senses, only a desperate Willian Pacho interception denied Marcus Thuram, who then rose to meet Lautaro Martinez’s corner only to plant his far-post header wide.

Inter’s strong finish to the half may have prompted Enrique to deliver a reality check to his players at the break. Kvaratskhelia blazed a chance over and Dembele curled a shot wide of the far post after cutting in from the left.

Inzaghi rang the changes but the Inter boss was booked when his frustration boiled over into a row with Romanian ref Istvan Kovacs. And it was Doue who sealed the deal in the 63rd minute when Dembele’s magical back heel and Vitinha’s pass sent him through to beat Sommer with a low finish.

Ten minutes later, Kvaratskhelia raced clear to squeeze a shot between Sommer and his near post.

Bradley Barcola should have scored after a dazzling run, only to drag his shot wide. But substitute Senny Mayulu did make it five with a lovely angled finish high into the roof of the net that belied the fact he only celebrated his 19th birthday earlier this month.

and receive your daily dose of content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our