Paris Saint-Germain’s big 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final led to major trouble across France.
The match took place in Munich, Germany, and it was the biggest win ever seen in a Champions League final. After the game, violence and chaos broke out in several places in France, especially in Paris.
The French government said two people died, a police officer is in a coma, and nearly 560 people were arrested.
- One of the victims was a 17-year-old boy who was stabbed in Dax during a street party for PSG.
- Another man died in Paris when his scooter was hit by a car during the celebrations.
- A police officer suffered serious eye injuries from fireworks and was put into an artificial coma.
There were 692 fires across the country, including 264 involving cars.
In total, 559 people were arrested, with 491 in Paris alone. Out of these, 320 were taken into custody — 254 of them in the capital.
22 security workers, including 18 in Paris, and 7 firefighters were hurt.
The police had 5,400 officers out in Paris. Tear gas and pepper spray were used on the Champs-Elysees, and a water cannon was used near the Arc de Triomphe.
At one point, a crowd that hadn’t been watching the match tried to push through a barrier to reach the police. 131 arrests were made there, including 30 people who broke into a shoe shop. Two cars were also set on fire near PSG’s home ground, Parc des Princes.
After the final, fireworks and flares were set off by fans in the streets. PSG player Ousmane Dembélé called for calm in an interview, saying, “Let’s enjoy the win, but don’t destroy Paris.”
In the stadium, many fans tried to rush the pitch after the final whistle. Police struggled to hold them back.
Desire Doué, the 19-year-old PSG star who scored twice and assisted another goal, said after the match, “I can’t even explain how I feel — just thank you, Paris. We did it!”
Even President Emmanuel Macron, a fan of PSG’s rivals Marseille, congratulated the team on social media: “A glorious day for PSG! Well done — we’re all proud. Paris is the capital of Europe tonight.”
The President’s office said he will meet the players at the Élysée Palace on Sunday. The team is also expected to parade down the Champs-Elysees.
