The Stadio Friuli in Udine, Italy, was electric on August 13, 2025, as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Tottenham Hotspur clashed in the UEFA Super Cup, a battle between the Champions League and Europa League kings. What unfolded was a footballing rollercoaster—Tottenham’s 2-0 lead, built on set-piece brilliance, crumbled under PSG’s late heroics, forcing a penalty shootout that saw PSG triumph 4-3. From Micky van de Ven’s opener to Nuno Mendes’ decisive spot-kick, this final was a heart-pounding saga of grit, heartbreak, and redemption. Let’s relive the chaos, the goals, and why PSG’s fifth trophy of 2025 cemented their European dominance, even without Lionel Messi.
The Build-Up: Champions vs Underdogs
The UEFA Super Cup, the curtain-raiser for the 2025–26 European season, pitted PSG, fresh off a Champions League-Ligue 1-Coupe de France treble, against Tottenham, the Europa League winners who ended a 17-year trophy drought. PSG, managed by Luis Enrique, were favorites despite a short pre-season after losing the Club World Cup final to Chelsea (3-0) on July 13. Their squad, boasting Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Vitinha, was a juggernaut, though notably without Messi, who had left for Inter Miami in 2023.
Tottenham, under new manager Thomas Frank after Ange Postecoglou’s sacking, were in transition. Their Europa League triumph over Manchester United in May 2025 gave them momentum, but injuries to James Maddison (ACL) and Dejan Kulusevski, plus Yves Bissouma’s disciplinary absence, left them lean. Still, with new captain Cristian Romero and a set-piece-heavy game plan, Spurs smelled an upset.
The Bluenergy Stadium, hosting its first Super Cup, buzzed with 25,000 fans under a clear Italian sky. Referee João Pinheiro’s whistle at 9:00 PM local time (3:00 PM ET) signaled the start of a thriller.
The Match: A Tale of Two Halves and Penalties
Tottenham came out swinging, their high press and set-piece nous catching PSG cold. In the 39th minute, Spurs struck. A Pedro Porro free kick found Rodrigo Bentancur, whose header was tipped onto the bar by PSG’s new goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, replacing the departing Gianluigi Donnarumma. Micky van de Ven, reacting like lightning, pounced on the rebound, slotting home for 1-0. “Spurs are dreaming!” TNT Sports roared as the north London faithful erupted.
Three minutes into the second half, Tottenham doubled their lead. Another set piece, another defensive dagger—Cristian Romero, the new captain, rose above Marquinhos to head in Porro’s pinpoint free kick. Chevalier got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out, and at 2-0, Spurs were in wonderland. PSG, sluggish after their Club World Cup exertions, hadn’t had a shot on target, with Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé stifled by Djed Spence and Van de Ven.
But PSG, the Champions League kings, don’t stay down. Luis Enrique’s double substitution in the 68th minute—Lee Kang-in and Gonçalo Ramos for Warren Zaïre-Emery and Bradley Barcola—changed everything. In the 85th minute, Lee latched onto a Vitinha pass after Spurs failed to clear a cross, smashing a low drive past Guglielmo Vicario to make it 2-1. The French giants smelled blood. Deep in stoppage time, the 94th minute, Achraf Hakimi’s overlapping run found Dembélé, whose curling cross was headed home by Ramos to level it at 2-2. Stadio Friuli shook as PSG fans roared, while Spurs’ bench looked shell-shocked.
Penalties loomed, and nerves took over. PSG’s Vitinha missed their first, firing wide, but Chevalier redeemed the miss with a diving save on Van de Ven’s effort. Spurs’ Dominic Solanke, Bentancur, and Porro scored, but Mathys Tel’s miss—blazing over—left the door open. PSG’s Ramos, Dembélé, and Lee converted, and when Nuno Mendes stepped up, his cool strike sealed a 4-3 shootout win. PSG had done it—the first French club to lift the Super Cup, their fifth trophy of 2025.
The Heroes: Mendes, Lee, and Frank’s Blueprint
Nuno Mendes was PSG’s savior, his winning penalty capping a tireless performance at left-back. Lee Kang-in’s 85th-minute strike and shootout goal earned him Player of the Match, while Ramos’ stoppage-time header showed why Luis Enrique trusted his bench. Dembélé, despite a quiet first hour, delivered the crucial assist, proving his big-game mettle.
For Tottenham, Van de Ven and Romero were colossal, their set-piece goals a nod to Thomas Frank’s Brentford-esque tactics. Vicario’s saves kept Spurs in it, but their late collapse—conceding twice after the 80th minute—stung. “We were seconds away,” Frank told CBS Sports, praising his side’s fight despite the loss.
Luis Enrique’s substitutions flipped the script, with PSG’s bench outscoring Tottenham’s 2-0. Chevalier, in his PSG debut, struggled early but redeemed himself with the penalty save, though Donnarumma’s shadow loomed large.
The Context: A Trophy-Laden Season
PSG’s victory marked their first Super Cup, adding to their 2024–25 haul: Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Trophee des Champions. Their late rally mirrored their Champions League final comeback against Inter Milan (5-0), cementing Luis Enrique’s reputation as a clutch manager. The win, worth €4.5 million, was a perfect start before their Ligue 1 opener against Nantes on August 17.
Tottenham, despite the heartbreak, showed promise. Frank’s set-piece obsession—six of Spurs’ 10 goals in 2025 came from dead balls—offers hope for their Premier League opener against Burnley on August 16. The absence of Messi, once a PSG talisman, didn’t haunt them, as Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia filled the void.
The match, broadcast on Paramount+ and TNT Sports, drew millions, with 25,000 fans in Udine setting a vibrant tone. The Super Cup’s one-off format, unlike the two-legged ties of the 1990s, amplified the drama, though some criticized the event’s prestige compared to the Champions League.
Why It Matters
This final wasn’t just a trophy—it was a statement. PSG’s comeback, fueled by substitutes, showed their squad depth, even without Messi, who’s now chasing 1,000 goals in MLS. Tottenham’s collapse, blowing a 2-0 lead, echoed their 2023–24 Premier League struggles but highlighted Frank’s tactical nous. The match, the first competitive meeting between the two, added a new chapter to European football’s rivalries.
For fans, it was a spectacle of heart and hustle. Lee’s rocket, Ramos’ header, and Mendes’ penalty were moments of pure magic. Spurs’ set-piece goals proved they can punch above their weight, even if the final sting lingers.
Wrap-Up
The 2025 UEFA Super Cup final was a footballing epic. Tottenham’s 2-0 lead, built by Van de Ven and Romero, crumbled under PSG’s late surge from Lee Kang-in and Gonçalo Ramos. A 4-3 penalty shootout, sealed by Nuno Mendes, crowned PSG as France’s first Super Cup winners, their fifth trophy of 2025. Without Messi,Mbappe and Neymar PSG proved their new stars—Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha—carry the torch. For Spurs, it was heartbreak, but Thomas Frank’s blueprint offers hope. At Stadio Friuli, football delivered a night of fire, fight, and unforgettable drama.
