A closer look at PSG and the French capital: the new Parisian chic

Paris has undergone radical change – and so has PSG. While the French capital is focusing on sustainable mobility and green architecture, the flagship club has turned its back on star culture and is suddenly winning titles as a team and not individual headliners. Ahead of FC Bayern’s away game on 4 November, discover how football and city life are being reinvented, Parisian style.

For a club with such a full trophy cabinet, Paris Saint-Germain is surprisingly young. The club was only founded in 1970 – just five years before FC Bayern, with Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller, won the European Cup for the second time in a row against Leeds United at the Parc des Princes. And yet, in its short history, PSG has already won three European trophies and a total of 32 major titles, reinventing itself time and again. Most recently, more radically than ever before.

For a long time, the club was synonymous with mega transfers, sky-high salaries and the cult of the individual player: from David Beckham to Zlatan Ibrahimović to Neymar, Messi and Mbappé. But it was only after the superstars had left that Luis Enrique's team achieved the long-awaited Champions League triumph at the Allianz Arena in May earlier this year. Today, PSG focus on teamwork and sustainable talent development. And that fits perfectly with Paris.

It's not just the club that has changed. Paris itself is showing a new face. The metropolis, world-famous for its cultural heritage, is undergoing an urban and social renaissance. Since last December, Notre Dame Cathedral has reopened after the catastrophic fire and is more radiant than ever, dominating the cityscape. In the summer of 2024, the greenest Olympic Games set new standards in ecology and mobility. The parallels are obvious: a club that is repositioning itself in a city that is rethinking itself. PSG is Paris – and Paris is PSG.

Learning from past mistakes

How did this change come about? “The PSG management were smart enough to understand what they needed to change,” says Stéphane Bitton, journalist, PSG chronicler and lecturer at the Paris School of Sports. The bitter defeats in the Champions League against Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern and Manchester United made it clear to them that focusing on individual superstars was the wrong approach. For a long time, PSG had more success in marketing with flagship stores worldwide. The Messi jersey was a coveted fashion item, but in the knockout rounds of the Champions League, they repeatedly suffered defeats against established teams such as Munich, Madrid and United. According to Bitton, PSG was a laughingstock amongst European clubs. But that is no longer the case – especially since their 5-0 triumph against Inter Milan.

“Those in charge looked at the profiles of the teams that have won the Champions League over the past ten years, and every time – with the exception of Real Madrid – it was the collective that made the difference, as was also the case with Bayern,” explains Bitton. “That inspired them. For two years now, they have been scouting intelligently, with a new transfer policy that is already proving successful.” FCB supervisory board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge also recently praised PSG's reforms in kicker. Although the salary structure had been reworked, the club had won the biggest title – meaning that PSG could also be a role model for FC Bayern.

Global and local appeal

PSG expert Bitton has close ties to the club. “I was born in the Parc des Princes clinic,” he says, “and I've always lived near the stadium – no more than 600 metres away.” Before every move, he says, the first thing he did was look at a map of Paris to make sure his new home wasn't too far from the Parc des Princes. “There's a lot of life around the stadium, with shops and sports facilities. After all, we're right in the middle of the city.” PSG's motto is “Ici c'est Paris” – This is Paris. That's why all the fans want the club to stay at the Parc des Princes and not build a new stadium outside the city, says Bitton. “Rebuilding and renovating it would be the perfect choice.”

In recent years, PSG has developed into a truly global club. No wonder. For centuries, Paris has been the place where fashion trends and materials are decided. The PSG logo is now almost as popular as that of Louis Vuitton or Chanel. PSG has long been part of the Paris mega-brand – chic, avant-garde, cosmopolitan. And thanks to the new strategy and collective thinking, there is a good chance that this is not a short-term fashion trend, but a club that will shape an era.

PSG is not only the club of the city, but of the entire Île-de-France region with its 12 million inhabitants. “The club knows where it comes from and what it means to the whole region – especially for young people,” says Brazilian Raimundo Souza Vieira de Oliveira, better known as Raí. Between 1993 and 1998, the playmaker made his mark on the Parisian team with great elegance, scoring 72 goals in 215 competitive matches. Raí was not a spectacular footballer, but a midfield engine who made his teammates better with precise passes and good ideas. He made Paris dream – and inspired far beyond football. Even today, Raí is undoubtedly the most famous Brazilian in Paris, comparable to Giovane Élber in Munich. “I loved this city from day one. I have become 100 percent Parisian,” he says.

The former player is most likely to be found in the posh Le Marais district, on the Place de la Bastille or along the Canal Saint-Martin. “One of the things I admire most about Paris is the desire to move things forward,” he says. While in his native Brazil and many other places around the world, funding for education, research and environmental policies is being cut, “in Paris, human and sporting values are honoured”.

Islands of greenery around the city

The colours of PSG are blue, white and red. But green would actually fit in well too. Since this year, a small forest has been growing on Paris City Hall Square: oak, hornbeam and fig trees, bushes and tall grasses. It is pleasantly cool and fresh here – and that is also the idea behind the many greening projects in Paris. The urban forests and avenues are intended to provide residents with small islands of coolness during hot summers and make the city more resilient to climate change. This is just one example of the many sustainable projects being promoted by Mayor Anne Hidalgo. The banks of the Seine have been car-free and pedestrianised for some time now, and many cycle highways have been created. Paris has the largest fleet of rental bikes in Europe, on which Parisians cycle around elegantly and cheerfully.

The effects of the 2024 Olympic Games can still be felt, Raí continues: “They were wonderful moments – with a lightness, elegance and charisma that are unparalleled. PSG then rode this wave as if there had been some kind of telepathy.” Bitton is also convinced that the Olympics have had a decisive influence on PSG's path. “The bosses have recognised how important image is today – and that values such as modesty, courage and identification play an enormous role.” And they made sure that the players had the right character and attitude – “that you can only achieve your goals as a team”.

The new campus: a milestone achievement

Paris has been a footballing-talent factory much longer than any other city. Young players like Warren Zaïre-Emery are increasingly making it into the starting line-up. And in 2024, PSG opened a new youth academy in Poissy, in the north-west of the city. The new campus cost €300 million, covering 59 hectares and offering state-of-the-art facilities for men's, women's and youth teams. With high-tech equipment for player preparation and recovery, the site is a milestone in PSG's development.

Right next to the fitness area is the education city with bright classrooms, a science laboratory and 33 permanent teaching staff. “The aim is to combine sporting, educational and socio-educational aspects,” explains managing director Victoriano Melero. “We want to train young people on campus to develop social skills that will help shape PSG's image.”

Head coach Enrique felt so at home on the campus that he actually lived there for several months before moving into the city centre with his family. “The new training centre is beautiful,” enthuses Bitton. “It has state-of-the-art technology and a hotel for the players. Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembélé and their teammates prepare for home games here in peace and quiet, completely shielded from outside noise.”

And, in general, what has changed in the city since the Champions League final earlier this year? “As a professor, I see more and more students wearing PSG shirts in class,” says Bitton. “A few months ago, that would have been unimaginable. Today, it's a sign of pride.” Language also plays a role. “In the past, hardly any players gave interviews in French. Today, they all speak French. That goes down well, because the fans realise that these players really identify with the club.”

Just as Paris has reinvented itself in recent years, PSG has also found a new attitude. The club and the city mirror each other, each reflecting positive change for themselves and Parisians alike. PSG is Paris – and Paris is PSG.