Received at the Élysée Palace after their latest European triumph against Arsenal in the PSG/Arsenal match, Paris Saint-Germain received a heartfelt tribute from Emmanuel Macron. In remarks reported by RMC Sport, the President of the Republic praised PSG’s back-to-back titles, Luis Enrique, and Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.
Macron: “PSG has entered the elite league”
“You kept us on the edge of our seats until the very last second. Last year, it was a decisive, dominant performance. You went after it. We were thrilled for over 120 minutes. What a team! Yesterday, thanks to PSG, France achieved in two years what it hadn’t done in 70 years of football: two titles. Thank you for that. PSG has entered the elite league by achieving back-to-back titles. It’s immense, it’s enormous. It’s a source of pride for PSG, for Paris, for all of France.” “
This first passage summarizes PSG’s changing status. The Parisian club is no longer in a state of constant pursuit or justification. It is now judged by what it establishes over time. The back-to-back titles change the interpretation: one victory could be a peak, but two consecutive titles represent dominance.
The reference to 70 years of French football also gives the speech a historical dimension. Macron places PSG within a broader context than that of the club itself. Paris didn’t just win for its own sake: it gave French football a European run that no one had managed to achieve before.
Macron: “The best answer to all the criticism”
“You never gave up on PSG. It’s a great source of pride that you brought this club to the top of Europe. I haven’t forgotten all the football pundits who said it was going to be terrible when Luis Enrique arrived. Yesterday we saw a coach who was an extraordinary conductor. This is the best answer to all the criticism. The two stars.”
The tribute to Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and Luis Enrique was another highlight of the speech. The PSG president was praised for his perseverance in a project long ridiculed, contested, or reduced to its financial resources. This time, the sporting result provides an answer that is hard to dismiss: the club reached the top, and then it stayed there.
For Luis Enrique, the “conductor” metaphor perfectly describes PSG’s trajectory. PSG won with an idea, a structure, a collective identity. This is precisely what makes this victory so powerful: Paris didn’t just amass talent; it built a team capable of resisting, controlling the game, and striking at the right moment.”
Macron: “PSG is the greatest team in Europe.”
“Everyone gave their all until the very end. No one lost their temper. You never gave up, and you demonstrated unity, strength of character, and maturity.” You never showed any sign of nervousness. You held on, you came back. Right up to the last second, your nerves didn’t give way. That’s the sign of a truly great team. (…) No doubt about it, with this back-to-back victory, PSG is the greatest team in Europe. (…) I am extremely proud of this PSG team.”
In this final part, Macron emphasizes a crucial element: maturity. It’s perhaps the word that best describes PSG’s evolution. For a long time, Paris was associated with lapses in concentration, nights that get out of hand, and poorly managed details. This time, the speech highlights the opposite: calm, unity, character, and nerves of steel.
The phrase about “the greatest team in Europe” is obviously memorable. It can still fuel the debate, because football loves to challenge the obvious while the scoreboard settles the matter. But after two consecutive Champions League titles, PSG now possesses the most compelling argument: the trophy cabinet.
This visit to the Élysée Palace won’t win them another match. But it says something about the current state of affairs in Paris. PSG is no longer just celebrated by its fans: it is recognized as an established European powerhouse, driven by a confident leadership and a coach who has transformed criticism into historical validation.
