Lucas Hernandez, now 29, already boasts a remarkable career — including two Champions League titles among 22 trophies. Speaking to Le Parisien, the French defender compared the two clubs with which he reached the top of Europe: Bayern Munich in 2020 and Paris Saint-Germain, where he currently plays in 2025. He also gave his view on which of the two was the stronger team.
Hernandez: “At PSG, it was more of a medium-term project with a younger squad.”
The similarities and differences in building a winning culture at PSG and Bayern?
“The end goal is the same, but when I arrived at PSG, it was more of a medium-term project, with a younger squad and a sporting plan focused on developing players with huge potential.
Two years later, we can see how good those choices were, given our success in France and in Europe.
When I joined Munich, the squad was more experienced. (…) In both cases, the winning mentality runs through every part of the club.”
Hernandez: “PSG will keep writing its own legend.”
Is this current PSG side the strongest you’ve ever played in?
“The Bayern team that won the Champions League in 2020 was really something special.
We had 18 extraordinary players — you could rotate anyone without losing efficiency.
The same can be said for PSG, who became European champions in May.
It’s hard to choose between the two. Maybe, because of experience, I’d say Bayern 2020 — but PSG will keep writing its own legend and establish itself as an incredible team for years to come.”
Indeed, PSG was still in a building phase when Hernandez arrived in 2023, while Bayern Munich already had a solid foundation and five Champions League titles before their 2020 triumph. The two clubs represent different stages — one still earning its place among Europe’s elite, the other defending its legacy.
Yet, as Hernandez pointed out, the underlying philosophy is the same: a relentless pursuit of victory. PSG has made huge strides in that direction and shows no signs of slowing down. Some might be disappointed to see him give a slight edge to Bayern 2020, but that team was truly exceptional.
The key takeaway, though, is that PSG today is built to compete for every title. It won’t be easy — the competition remains fierce, with Bayern among the challengers — but Paris now has the collective strength and mentality to aim for the very top.
