PSG lifted their maiden UEFA Champions League trophy with a stunning 5-0 victory over Inter Milan on May 31, completing a historic treble under Luis Enrique.
Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring early before 19-year-old Desire Doue stole the show with two goals and an assist.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Senny Mayulu added to Inter’s woes, handing the Italian side the heaviest defeat in final history.
But as the dust settled, PSG’s Lucas Hernandez turned attention away from celebration and reached out to Benjamin Pavard, his longtime friend, former Bayern Munich teammate, and current Inter Milan player, who had just endured the harshest loss of his career.
“I spoke to Benjamin Pavard on the phone this [June 1] morning, and I would like to say a few words about him,” Hernandez told L’Equipe.
“He is my best friend in football. I know what he did to come back from his ankle injury and play in this final.”
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Pavard, a 2018 World Cup winner and seasoned pro, had a 2025 fraught with injuries. He first suffered a hamstring injury (Nov 2025-Jan 2025), then an ankle sprain in April, and then was cruelly hit by muscle fatigue just before the final.
“I can imagine how bad it is to lose a final,” Hernandez said. “But I want to take my hat off to him because I am proud of what he did. It is important for me to say this.”
Hernandez and Pavard once formed a strong defensive spine at Bayern Munich from 2019 to 2023, and even went on to win the Champions League in 2020.
While Hernandez moved to PSG in July 2023, Pavard joined Inter a month later.
“I can’t wait to see him back in the French team,” he added, looking ahead to their reunion at Clairefontaine ahead of the Nations League semifinal against Spain.
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