Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele received a hero’s welcome at Roland Garros on Monday after showcasing the UEFA Champions League trophy, two days after PSG’s resounding 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the final.
Dembele, who is of Mauritanian and Senegalese descent, was met with loud cheers at Court Philippe-Chatrier as he presented the trophy to the French Open crowd.
His appearance marked a celebratory moment not just for football but for French sport, as PSG became only the second club from France to lift Europe’s premier club title.
The 28-year-old winger played a crucial role in PSG’s campaign and addressed the crowd with pride, saying: “Ici c’est Paris (This is Paris). Exceptional, it was a magic moment in Munich. We played an exceptional season and were rewarded with our first European Cup. The individual titles are fine, but it is the collective titles that matter. We will try to win as many titles as possible.”
Dembele’s appearance underscored the growing synergy between major French sports. As he held the trophy aloft, fans responded with chants and applause, celebrating a breakthrough that had eluded the club for decades.
Following his brief remarks, tennis great Novak Djokovic took the court and offered his congratulations to PSG on their historic achievement, reinforcing the significance of the moment beyond football.
The Champions League triumph is a landmark in PSG’s history and a testament to their investment and ambition in recent years.
Dembele’s public celebration at one of France’s premier sporting venues added to the sense of national pride, as the capital’s flagship football club finally joined Europe’s elite.
