Paris Saint-Germain FC facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paris Saint-Germain

Full name	Paris Saint-Germain Football Club
Nickname(s)	Les Parisiens (The Parisians) Les Rouge-et-Bleu (The Red-and-Blues)
Short name	PSG, Paris, Paris SG
Founded	12 August 1970; 56 years ago (1970-08-12)
Stadium	Parc des Princes
Stadium capacity	47,929
Owner	Qatar Sports Investments (85.9%) Arctos Partners (12.5%) Boardroom (1.6%)
President	Nasser Al-Khelaifi
Head coach	Luis Enrique
League	Ligue 1
2021–22	Ligue 1, 1st of 20 (champions)

Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, known as Paris Saint-Germain or simply PSG, is a famous French football team. The club is based in Paris, the capital of France. It was created on 12 August 1970 by joining two teams: Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain. Today, PSG plays in Ligue 1, which is the highest division in French football. The team plays its home matches at a stadium called the Parc des Princes. PSG is the most popular soccer club in France and has millions of fans worldwide.

PSG is also the most successful club in French football. They have won over 60 official trophies in total. The club holds the record for the most Ligue 1 titles, having won the league 14 times. They have also won 16 Coupe de France cups and nine French League Cups. PSG is the top French club in international soccer too. They have won the prestigious UEFA Champions League twice and the UEFA Super Cup twice. They also won a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, a UEFA Intertoto Cup, and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

Before 2011, PSG had already won 18 major titles and had many famous players. In 2011, a group called Qatar Sports Investments bought the club. This allowed PSG to bring in some of the most famous players in the world. With manager Luis Enrique, PSG became a dominant team in Europe. In 2025, they won a rare continental treble and an amazing sextuple by winning six major trophies in one year. Along with soccer, PSG runs a youth academy, a women's football team, and teams in handball, judo, and esports.

History of Paris Saint-Germain Football Club

Dominique Rocheteau helped PSG win their first major trophy in 1982.

How PSG Started and Early Years (1970–1991)

In the late 1960s, the big city of Paris had no team playing in the top French division. Two businessmen named Guy Crescent and Pierre-Étienne Guyot wanted to change that. They got help from the French Football Federation and founded Paris FC in 1969. To build a stronger team, they joined forces with Henri Patrelle, the leader of Stade Saint-Germain. On 12 August 1970, the two groups united to create Paris Saint-Germain.

The new club started playing in Ligue 2, which is the second division. They won the title right away and earned promotion to Ligue 1 for the 1971–72 season. However, running a new club was difficult. In 1972, the leaders disagreed on the club's future and the team split in two. Paris FC stayed in the top division. Meanwhile, PSG was sent down to Division 3. PSG worked hard and won two promotions in a row. By 1974, PSG was back in Ligue 1 and moved into the Parc des Princes.

A fashion designer named Daniel Hechter became the club president in 1974. He helped make PSG popular and even designed their classic shirt. In 1978, Francis Borelli became the new president. Under Borelli, PSG won its first major silverware. In 1982, PSG reached the Coupe de France final against Saint-Étienne. The exciting match ended in a 2–2 tie, but PSG won the penalty shootout. They won the cup again in 1983 by beating Nantes 3–2.

PSG grew into a top French team during the 1980s. Talented players like Jean-Pierre Dogliani, Mustapha Dahleb, Safet Sušić, Luis Fernández, and Dominique Rocheteau led the squad. In 1986, under coach Gérard Houllier, PSG won its first French league title. They finished ahead of Nantes and lost only three games all season. After this victory, the club faced money troubles and slipped down the standings.

First European Glory and New Challenges (1991–2011)

PSG playing against AC Milan during an exciting match in 1995.

In 1991, the television company Canal+ bought PSG. A new president, Michel Denisot, helped sign world-class players like Raí, George Weah, David Ginola, Bernard Lama, and Valdo. With these stars, PSG won the French Cup in 1993 by defeating Nantes 3–0. In 1994, they became French champions for the second time.

PSG also impressed fans across Europe. During the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League, PSG won all their group games and reached the semi-finals before losing to AC Milan. Their greatest European moment arrived in 1996. PSG defeated Austrian club Rapid Wien 1–0 in Brussels to lift the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Defender Bruno Ngotty scored the winning goal. PSG reached the final again in 1997, but lost 1–0 to Barcelona. In 1998, PSG won both the Coupe de la Ligue and the Coupe de France against Lens.

After 2000, PSG had famous stars like Jay-Jay Okocha, Ronaldinho, and Pauleta. Even so, results in the league were uneven. Management changes and coaching swaps caused the team to slide down the table. Still, PSG showed fighting spirit in cup tournaments. They won the French Cup in 2004, 2006, and 2010, and won the League Cup in 2008. In 2008, an investment company called Colony Capital took over the team. The squad improved, finishing sixth in 2009 and fourth in 2011. In 2010, they beat Monaco 1–0 to win another French Cup.

Reaching the Top of World Soccer (2011–present)

PSG players during their winning European run in 2025.

In 2011, Qatar Sports Investments bought PSG, and Nasser Al-Khelaifi became the club president. The new owners brought top players like Javier Pastore, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani, and Marco Verratti. In 2013, PSG won their first league title in 19 years. They defended the title in 2014. During the 2014–15 season, PSG became the first French club to win four domestic trophies in one year. They repeated this sweep in 2015–16, finishing with a record 96 points in Ligue 1.

PSG kept adding superstar players. In 2017, they signed Neymar from Barcelona and Kylian Mbappé from Monaco. Legendary attacker Lionel Messi joined in 2021. This star-studded attack won many French titles. In European soccer, PSG reached the Champions League final in 2020, losing 1–0 to Bayern Munich. They also reached the semi-finals in 2021 and 2024. Neymar and Messi moved on in 2023, and Mbappé departed in 2024.

With coach Luis Enrique, PSG changed to focus on teamwork and fast passing. This strategy brought huge success. In 2025, PSG won their first UEFA Champions League trophy, defeating Inter Milan 5–0 in the final. Goals came from Achraf Hakimi, Désiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu. They became only the second French team to win this trophy after Marseille in 1993. Later that year, PSG won the 2025 UEFA Super Cup and the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup. In 2026, PSG defended their Champions League crown. They beat Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich before beating Arsenal on penalties after a 1–1 draw. Ousmane Dembélé scored in regulation, and goalkeeper Matvey Safonov made the winning save.

Club Colors, Crest, and Symbols

Germain the Lynx is the official mascot of PSG.

Why Does PSG Wear Red, Blue, and White?

PSG represents two locations: the city of Paris and the nearby historic town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Red and blue are the traditional colors of Paris. They honor figures from French history like Lafayette and Jean Sylvain Bailly. The color white represents Saint-Germain-en-Laye and French royalty.

On the club crest, the red Eiffel Tower stands out against a blue background to show love for Paris. Below the tower sits a white fleur de lys, an ancient royal symbol. The symbol honors King Louis XIV, who was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Germain the Lynx is the club mascot. Germain wears red, blue, and white, and entertains young supporters before matches.

Famous Team Songs and Slogans

The first official anthem was "Allez Paris!", sung by Belgian artist Annie Cordy in 1971. In 1977, the club adopted a new song called "Allez Paris-Saint-Germain!". For the 40th birthday of the club in 2010, fans rewrote the words to the tune of "Go West" by the Village People.

Supporters also sing "Ô Ville Lumière", set to the tune of "Flower of Scotland". When players walk onto the pitch, the stadium plays the song "Who Said I Would" by Phill Collins. Two popular sayings heard during games are "Ici, c'est Paris" ("This is Paris") and "Paris est magique" ("Paris is magical").

The Famous Shirts of PSG

The three most famous shirt designs worn by Paris Saint-Germain.

During the first three seasons, PSG wore a red shirt with blue and white trim. In 1973, president Daniel Hechter designed the famous "Hechter shirt". It features a blue base with a central red vertical stripe bordered by two white stripes. Hechter was inspired by the racing stripes on a Ford Mustang car.

PSG first wore the Hechter shirt in November 1973 against Red Star at the Parc des Princes. Striker Othniel Dossevi scored the first goal wearing it. Stars like Raí, Ronaldinho, and Pauleta wore this design. An alternate version is the white away shirt promoted by president Francis Borelli. PSG wore this white shirt when winning their first French Cups in 1982 and 1983, and their first league title in 1986. It is remembered alongside club heroes like Dominique Bathenay.

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  First logo from 1970 to 1972

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  The classic Eiffel Tower design

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  Logo featuring the Parc des Princes stadium

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  The lettered design used from 1992 to 1996

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  Traditional look from 1996 to 2002

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  Updated badge used until 2013

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  Modern crest used today

Friendly Cups and Tournaments

For many years, PSG hosted friendly competitions during the summer and winter. The most famous was the Tournoi de Paris. It was held at the Parc des Princes and featured top teams from around the world. PSG won this tournament a record seven times before its final edition in 2012. The club also organized an indoor football tournament called the Tournoi Indoor de Paris-Bercy from 1984 to 1991 at the Accor Arena, winning it twice.

Stadiums and Training Grounds

A view of the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris.

The Parc des Princes Stadium

PSG plays home matches at the Parc des Princes in Paris. The club played its first game there in November 1973 against Red Star. They moved in permanently in July 1974. The stadium holds nearly 48,000 cheering fans.

The largest crowd for a PSG match arrived on 13 March 1983. A total of 49,575 fans watched PSG beat Belgian team Waterschei 2–0 in the European Cup Winners' Cup. In early seasons, PSG used several other grounds around the city. These included the Stade Jean-Bouin, Stade Georges Lefèvre, Stade Bauer, and the Stade Yves-du-Manoir.

Modern Training Facilities

For over 50 years, PSG practiced at the Camp des Loges in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. In July 2023, the men's team moved to a brand-new training facility called Campus PSG in Poissy. The women's team and youth players joined them in early 2024. The new campus has high-tech gyms, medical clinics, and top-quality grass fields.

Trophies, Records, and Key Players

Trophies won by PSG displayed in the club museum.

Club Records and Milestones

With over 60 titles, Paris Saint-Germain is the most decorated club in French soccer history. They have played in Ligue 1 for 52 seasons in a row since 1974, which is the longest continuous streak in France. In the 2022–23 season, PSG stayed in first place from the very first matchday to the end.

In 2025, PSG made history by winning the continental treble: Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League. By adding the French Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup, they completed an extraordinary sextuple. Only Barcelona in 2009 and Bayern Munich in 2020 had ever done that before.

Star Players and Important Figures

PSG players lining up before a European match in 2012.

Many soccer legends have worn the red and blue jersey:

• Marquinhos holds the record for the most games played for PSG.
• Kylian Mbappé scored the most goals in PSG history, netting over 250 times.
• Ángel Di María set the record for providing the most goal assists for teammates.
• Zlatan Ibrahimović scored 50 goals in all competitions in the 2015–16 season.
• Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembélé brought their Ballon d'Or winning talent to the Parc des Princes.
• Brazilian attacker Neymar joined the club in 2017 in a world-record transfer.
• Goalkeeper Bernard Lama holds the club record for keeping the most clean sheets.
• Defender Thiago Silva served as the team captain for eight successful seasons.

PSG in European and World Competitions

Midfield playmaker Safet Sušić in 1983.

Paris Saint-Germain is the top French performer in international soccer. Their first European campaign took place in the 1982–83 European Cup Winners' Cup. They played against Lokomotiv Sofia and reached the quarter-finals. PSG also played in the UEFA Europa League and made their debut in the European Cup in 1986.

Between 1992 and 1997, PSG reached five European semi-finals in a row. They won their first European trophy in the 1995–96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup by defeating Rapid Wien 1–0. In 2001, they won the UEFA Intertoto Cup against Italian side Brescia.

In the modern era, PSG has competed against elite clubs like Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur. In 2025, PSG reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, finishing as runners-up to Chelsea. They also won the FIFA Intercontinental Cup in 2025 by defeating South American champion Flamengo in a penalty shootout.

The Fans and Big Soccer Derbies

Passionate supporters cheering on PSG at the 2006 Coupe de France final.

Supporters at the Parc des Princes

PSG fans are famous for making loud noise, singing chants, and waving colorful banners called tifos. The stadium is split into four stands: Auteuil, Boulogne, Paris, and Borelli. The Auteuil and Boulogne sections behind the goals host the most vocal fans. In 1975, the club formed its first fan group, Les Amis du PSG. Today, the main organized group is the Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP), who cheer for the team every week.

The Great Rivalry: Le Classique

PSG and Marseille battling for the ball during a 2007 game.

The biggest soccer match in France is called Le Classique. It is played between PSG and Olympique de Marseille. This rivalry compares to Spain's El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Paris is the capital in the north, while Marseille is a large port city on the southern Mediterranean coast.

The rivalry grew fierce during the 1980s and 1990s when both teams had great squads competing for trophies. Matches between them draw huge television audiences. In women's soccer, the rivalry is also exciting, with the PSG women's team playing regular high-stakes matches against Lyon.

The Local Duel: The Paris Derby

PSG playing on the European stage in 2001.

The Paris derby is played between PSG and their city neighbor, Paris FC. The two clubs share a history because they were part of the same team in 1970 before splitting in 1972. PSG quickly became a powerhouse in Ligue 1, while Paris FC played in lower divisions for many years.

When Paris FC earned promotion back to Ligue 1 in 2025, the Paris derby returned to the top division. The home stadiums of both clubs—the Parc des Princes and Stade Jean-Bouin—sit right next to each other on the same street. In January 2026, PSG won an exciting derby 2–1 at the Parc des Princes. The women's teams of both clubs also compete against each other in the Paris derby (women) in the top-flight Première Ligue.

Club Owners and Finances

PSG's famous attacking trio: Mbappé, Messi, and Neymar in 2021.

When PSG started in 1970, it was owned by about 20,000 supporters through an association. In 1973, businessmen led by Daniel Hechter took charge. The television company Canal+ bought the club in 1991, and Colony Capital bought it in 2006.

In 2011, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) bought PSG. With president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the owners invested in top talent and modern facilities. American firm Arctos Partners bought a 12.5% stake in 2023, and Boardroom joined with 1.6% in 2025. PSG is one of the wealthiest soccer clubs in the world according to the Deloitte Football Money League and the Forbes club valuation list.

List of Major Club Honours

Current Men's Football Squad

No. Position Player 2 DF Achraf Hakimi (vice-captain) 4 DF Lucas Beraldo 5 DF Marquinhos (captain) 6 DF Illia Zabarnyi 7 FW Khvicha Kvaratskhelia 8 MF Fabián Ruiz 9 FW Ferran Torres 10 FW Ousmane Dembélé 11 MF Maghnes Akliouche 12 DF Lucas Digne 14 FW Désiré Doué 16 GK Alessandro Longoni

No. Position Player 17 MF Vitinha 21 DF Lucas Hernandez 22 FW Mika Godts 24 MF Senny Mayulu 25 DF Nuno Mendes 27 MF Dro Fernández 30 GK Lucas Chevalier 33 MF Warren Zaïre-Emery 39 GK Matvey Safonov 47 FW Quentin Ndjantou 51 DF Willian Pacho 87 MF João Neves

Club Leadership and Coaching Staff

Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

First-team manager Luis Enrique.

Club Management

• President: Nasser Al-Khelaifi
• Chief Executive Officer: Victoriano Melero
• Chief Communications Officer: Anne Descamps
• Chief Revenue Officer: Richard Heaselgrave
• Chief Brand Officer: Fabien Allègre
• Football Advisor: Luís Campos

Technical Staff

• Head Coach: Luis Enrique
• Assistant Coaches: Rafel Pol, Guillem Hernández
• Goalkeeper Coach: Borja Álvarez
• Assistant Goalkeeper Coach: Nicolas Cousin
• Fitness Coaches: Pedro Gómez, Alberto Piernas
• Psychologist: Joaquín Valdés

Youth Academy and Other Sports Teams

The Paris Saint-Germain Youth Academy

The Paris Saint-Germain FC Youth Academy teaches young boys and girls how to play soccer at an elite level. Opened in 1975, the academy provides schooling, housing, and top-tier soccer training. Many players developed here and became international stars. Graduates include Nicolas Anelka, Mamadou Sakho, Kingsley Coman, Adrien Rabiot, Alphonse Areola, and Presnel Kimpembe. For the girls, stars like Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Grace Geyoro, Perle Morroni, and Sandy Baltimore learned their skills at the PSG academy.

Handball, Judo, and Esports

PSG is more than just a soccer club. It operates several successful sports departments:

• Handball: Formed in 1941 and brought into the PSG family in 1992, this team plays in the LNH Division 1. It is one of the strongest handball clubs in the world and regularly wins the French league.
• Esports: Founded in 2016, PSG's professional gaming section competes in video games like EA Sports FC, Rocket League, and League of Legends.
• Judo: Started in 1992 by Olympic champion Thierry Rey, the judo section won European titles with athletes like David Douillet and Cécile Nowak. It was restarted in 2017 with multiple Olympic champion Teddy Riner.

In past years, PSG also supported professional teams in other sports. They ran a team in basketball that won the French league in 1997. They also ran teams in volleyball, boxing, and rugby league during the 1990s.

See also

In Spanish: Paris Saint-Germain Football Club para niños