Cristian Romero scored on the same day he was made Tottenham captain.
Paris Saint-Germain pulled off a dramatic late turnaround to win the UEFA Super Cup in Udine, Italy.
The French champions overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat Tottenham Hotspur on penalties, denying Thomas Frank a trophy in his first competitive match as Spurs boss.
Spurs in Control Until the Final Moments
Tottenham looked set for a famous victory, leading 2-0 with just six minutes remaining.
Micky van de Ven opened the scoring just before half-time, reacting first to slot in a rebound after Joao Palhinha’s effort hit the crossbar.
Cristian Romero doubled the lead early in the second half, heading in from Pedro Porro’s free-kick.
PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier got both hands to the ball but failed to keep it out.
PSG Show Fighting Spirit
PSG had returned to training only a week earlier, following their Club World Cup final loss to Chelsea.
Fatigue was evident, but their resilience shone through.
Lee Kang-in sparked hope with a stunning strike from 20 yards.
Then, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, substitute Goncalo Ramos headed in the equaliser to force a penalty shootout.
Penalty Drama Decides the Winner
The shootout began poorly for PSG as Vitinha missed their first spot-kick.
However, Van de Ven — Tottenham’s first scorer — saw his effort saved by Chevalier.
Mathys Tel then fired wide for Spurs, allowing Nuno Mendes to step up.
The Portuguese defender kept his cool, slotting home the decisive penalty to hand PSG their first-ever UEFA Super Cup title.
First Match, First Heartbreak for Frank
Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou just 16 days after Spurs’ Europa League triumph over Manchester United in May.
Postecoglou had delivered Tottenham’s first silverware in 17 years but was sacked after a poor domestic season.
Frank’s debut showed tactical promise, with Spurs defending well and limiting PSG to no shots on target for 65 minutes.
However, the late collapse meant they missed out on a second European trophy in three months.
New Captains, New Era
Before kick-off, PSG captain Marquinhos paraded the Champions League trophy.
Romero, newly appointed Spurs captain after Son Heung-min’s move to Los Angeles FC, carried the Europa League trophy.
By the end of the night, Marquinhos was lifting the Super Cup instead.
Set-Pieces a Key Strength for Spurs
Both Tottenham goals came from set-pieces.
For the opener, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario launched a deep free-kick that found Romero, whose header created chaos in the PSG box before Van de Ven pounced.
The second goal came from Porro’s precise delivery, with Romero again dangerous in the air.
This aerial threat will be a positive sign for Spurs heading into the new season.
Spurs Fans Split but Encouraged
Some Tottenham fans plan to protest against chairman Daniel Levy over the club’s quiet transfer window.
Yet, many will take encouragement from the performance in Italy despite the defeat.
Frank’s use of a back five improved defensive stability — crucial after conceding 65 league goals last season.
PSG Continue Their English Club Run
This was PSG’s fifth win over an English side in 2025.
They had already beaten Manchester City in the Champions League group stage, Liverpool in the last 16, Aston Villa in the quarter-finals, and Arsenal in the semi-finals.
What’s Next?
Tottenham face Burnley in their Premier League opener on Saturday.
PSG begin their Ligue 1 title defence away to Nantes on Sunday.
The Super Cup win marks the start of PSG’s season with silverware, while Spurs are left to regroup after a painful near miss.
