French giants Paris Saint-Germain successfully defended their UEFA Champions League title this season after defeating Premier League champions Arsenal in the final.
After 120 minutes of football with no winner in a 1-1 draw, the match was ultimately settled by a dramatic penalty shootout at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest.
Unfortunately for the Gunners, Gabriel Magalhães missed a crucial penalty, effectively handing PSG back-to-back Champions League trophies.
Champions of Europe: Paris Saint-Germain 🏆#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/MOcgiqlyKz
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 30, 2026
The defeat was a painful one for Arsenal, as it denied them the chance to finally lift the Champions League trophy in what was their first final appearance in 22 years.
Arsenal made a bright start, taking the lead in the 6th minute when Kai Havertz opened the scoring to give them an early advantage.
However, the French side found a way back into the game in the 65th minute after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was brought down inside the box by Arsenal defender Cristian Mosquera. Ousmane Dembélé stepped up and calmly converted the penalty to bring the Parisians level.
Neither team was able to break the deadlock in normal or extra time, sending the match to a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
Arsenal’s chances took a serious hit when England midfielder Eberechi Eze failed to convert his penalty. Goalkeeper David Raya momentarily gave the Gunners hope by stopping Nuno Mendes’s attempt, but Paris Saint-Germain remained calm and clinical from the spot.
In the end, Gabriel Magalhães missed the decisive kick, allowing PSG to secure another memorable European title, according to ESPN.
Why PSG wouldn’t keep the original UCL trophy:
UEFA President, Aleksander Čeferin presented the trophy to Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos for the second consecutive year, but the celebration comes with a standard UEFA procedure.
Although the team lifted the trophy during the ceremony, they will not travel back home with the original version on Sunday morning. Under Article 11 of UEFA regulations, the authentic trophy remains with the governing body after the presentation, while the winning club is given a replica to take away.
The statement reads: The original trophy, which is used for the official presentation ceremony at the final and at other official events approved by UEFA, remains in UEFA’s keeping and ownership at all times. “A full-size replica trophy, the UEFA Champions League winners’ trophy, is awarded to the winning club.
“Replica trophies awarded to winners of the competition (past and current) must remain within the relevant club’s control at all times and may not leave the club’s country without UEFA’s prior written consent.”
