- Kylian Mbappe's emotional goodbye to PSG as a Champions League winner was always a fantasy.
- PSG's Qatari ownership, starting in 2011, made the Champions League their obsession
- The 2021 free transfer of Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest ever, seemed the final piece for European glory.
Kylian Mbappe’s emotional goodbye to PSG as a Champions League winner was always a fantasy. Reality was a harsh slide for the star forward in the dying seconds, chasing a lost cause.
Borussia Dortmund’s resolute defense and a touch of luck had sealed a 2-0 aggregate victory, leaving PSG’s era of extravagant spending and unfulfilled Champions League dreams in tatters.
“Unusual for Mbappe,” said Rio Ferdinand, a Champions League winner himself. “He usually shines on the biggest stages, but he was subdued over both legs.”
PSG’s Qatari ownership, starting in 2011, made the Champions League their obsession, fueled by ever-increasing spending.
Neymar’s world-record arrival in 2017, followed by Mbappe’s post-World Cup signing a year later, only intensified the chase.
The 2021 free transfer of Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest ever, seemed the final piece for European glory.
A front three like that, surely, would guarantee a first Champions League title.
But fate had other plans. By summer, none of the star trio will be at the Parc des Princes. Miami, Saudi Arabia, and likely Madrid beckon, leaving the Champions League trophy a cruel mirage.
PSG have dominated domestically, collecting six out of seven Ligue 1 titles, and potentially a fourth Coupe de France this season.
They even claimed the now-defunct French League Cup. Still, the Champions League remained elusive. Since 2017, they’ve only reached the quarterfinals twice, the 2020 Covid final, and this year’s semi-final. An era of dominance marked by a gaping European hole.
