Two consecutive Champions League titles and a poll: PSG has won over all of France

Paris Saint-Germain won its second consecutive Ligue des Champions title by defeating Arsenal in the final, and a CSA poll published Friday by Ouest-France indicates that this success was widely shared beyond the capital’s borders.

According to the survey, 77% of respondents hoped for a Paris victory in the final. Only 9% supported Arsenal, while 14% declared themselves neutral. Following the title win, 65% of those polled expressed satisfaction, 61% joy and 55% pride. Disappointment and sadness were felt by only 13% of respondents in each case. Among “football fans,” the satisfaction rate rose to 81%.

These figures echo president Nasser Al-Khelaifi’s statement after the title: “PSG is the club of all France, not just Paris.” A statement that had raised concerns in grassroots football circles, where the idea that an Olympique de Marseille or Olympique Lyonnais supporter could rally behind PSG in European competition remains difficult to accept. Yet the victory of Luis Enrique’s side was celebrated in most major French cities.

Yves Del Frate, director of the CSA institute, emphasizes the scale and speed of this shift: “What surprised us was the spectacular change in image that occurred with PSG and the speed with which the values implemented by the new coach are now attached to the club. When PSG wins, France wins. And, moreover, the values the club conveys are extremely positive: they also restore prestige to the image of football.”

This reversal of opinion coincides with the Luis Enrique era, whose collective play project and policy of trimming major stars have gradually changed the club’s perception. PSG, long seen as a project foreign to French football, appears to have found a national legitimacy that two decades of Qatar Sports Investments had not been enough to build.