Paris Saint-Germain won the first-ever FIFA Intercontinental Cup on Thursday night, beating Flamengo 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. The match took place at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, with over 88,000 fans watching the exciting final between Europe’s and South America’s top clubs.
Flamengo came into the game strong after winning the Copa Libertadores. They had players like Pedro, who scored many goals, and Giorgian de Arrascaeta, a creative midfielder. PSG, led by coach Luis Enrique, relied on stars like Ousmane Dembélé and young midfielder João Neves. The French team was missing some big names from the past, but their current squad played with energy and focus.
The game started fast. In the 17th minute, Flamengo scored first. De Arrascaeta beat two defenders and passed to Pedro, who shot the ball into the bottom corner. The Brazilian fans went wild, and coach Tite celebrated with his players.
PSG fought back well. In the 42nd minute, Dembélé tied the score with a great goal. He dribbled past three players and curled the ball into the top corner. The score was 1-1 at halftime.
The second half was tough for both teams. Flamengo tried to score again, but PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a big save on a shot from Everton in the 63rd minute. PSG created chances too, with Vitinha shooting hard and Warren Zaïre-Emery, the 18-year-old midfielder, working hard in the middle. Flamengo’s keeper Agustín Rossi stopped two shots from Bradley Barcola.
No more goals came in the second half or extra time. Pedro almost scored with a header that hit the crossbar in the 108th minute, and Dembélé missed by inches in the 117th. The match went to penalties.
In the shootout, Flamengo started strong. Pedro scored first for 1-0. Dembélé equalized with a cheeky chip down the middle, making it 1-1. Then Donnarumma saved De Arrascaeta’s penalty, keeping the score level. Vitinha made it 2-1 for PSG.
Everton missed for Flamengo, shooting over the bar. Zaïre-Emery scored to make it 3-1. Gerson pulled one back for 3-2. Barcola scored for 4-2. Bruno Henrique made it 4-3. Finally, Léo Pereira missed for Flamengo, shooting high over the bar. PSG won!
The PSG players rushed to Donnarumma, and Enrique hugged him tightly. Flamengo’s players looked upset, with Pedro close to tears. Tite comforted his team.
After the game, Luis Enrique said, “This win is about heart. The players fought hard, and Donnarumma was amazing in the penalties.” Tite added, “We played well, but penalties are tough. Congratulations to PSG—they earned it.”
This victory helps PSG forget past disappointments in big European games. They also get €10 million in prize money. Flamengo showed they can compete with the best teams from Europe. The Intercontinental Cup is a new tournament that brings clubs from all over the world together in one big final. It was a great start.
PSG is already looking forward to more success in 2026. The 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup final clash between PSG and Flamengo will serve as valuable experience to help the Brazilian club grow stronger. Football fans everywhere enjoyed the thrilling battle—what an incredible way to wrap up the year!
