Enrique: The Man Who Reshaped PSG’s Football Destiny

Paris Saint-Germain secured a place in the Champions League final for the second year running on Wednesday, with manager Luis Enrique at the helm. The French side edged past Bayern Munich with a 6-5 aggregate victory after a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena in the semi-final second leg, joining Arsenal in the 2025-26 final. PSG had won the first leg 5-4.

The Spanish coach, who previously won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2011 and 2015, has earned a towering reputation in French football circles. French newspaper *Le Parisien* described him on Thursday as a "superman" who altered the destiny and history of football in the City of Light.

A Historic Run for the Parisians

Before reaching the European final twice in a row, PSG had only made the continental showpiece once before—in 2020, losing 1-0 to Bayern Munich, the same opponent they faced in Wednesday's semi-final. Five years later, the Parisian club reasserted its dominance over European football, capping a stunning historic season by winning the Champions League with a 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in the final.

In a detailed report tracing PSG’s journey under Enrique, *Le Parisien* stated that "the team has entered a new era in football, becoming a club that cannot be easily challenged, as Bayern Munich—considered the most prepared team in Europe this year—bowed to the will of Ousmane Dembélé and his teammates." The newspaper added that PSG has transformed into a team playing total football, with clear touches from Enrique, who managed to change the club’s fate even after the disappointment of losing the Club World Cup final to Chelsea 3-0 last July.

Enrique’s Growing Popularity

"As the Spanish coach celebrates his 56th birthday on Friday, he has gained overwhelming popularity by turning his team into the best in Europe," *Le Parisien* added. "PSG is playing in the Champions League final for the second consecutive time, the third for the Spanish coach. On social media, Enrique has become the sole star, with many PSG fan groups demanding a statue of Luis Enrique be erected near the Parc des Princes."

Since joining the team in July 2023, the manager has changed the lives of fans. Among the widely circulated humorous images is one of bodies floating in the sky under a bright sun with the caption: "My life since Luis Enrique joined Paris Saint-Germain."

Parisian fans, who have accompanied the coach since the start of his tenure, grasped the essence of this surprising triumph. On Wednesday night, Enrique became the third manager to reach the Champions League final three times in ten years, following Zinedine Zidane with Real Madrid (2016, 2017, 2018) and Jürgen Klopp with Liverpool (2018, 2019, 2022).

The Spanish coach took longer than Zidane and Klopp, but achieved this feat with two teams: Barcelona in 2015 and Paris Saint-Germain in 2025 and 2026. The signs of his experience, magic, and success were evident from the start: he won the Champions League in his first appearance as a coach, with the Catalan club 11 years ago.