What began as a night of euphoria turned grim across France after Paris Saint-Germain’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final led to widespread chaos, resulting in two deaths and hundreds of arrests, the French interior ministry confirmed on Sunday.
The capital, Paris, was the heart of the celebrations, with jubilant fans flooding the Champs-Élysées, honking car horns, waving flags, lighting fireworks, and chanting into the early hours.
But what was meant to be a moment of national pride quickly descended into unrest.
According to authorities, 491 people were arrested in Paris alone, many of them for possession of fireworks and public disorder. Nationwide, the number climbed to 559 arrests.
Tragedy struck amid the celebrations. A man on a motor scooter was killed after being hit by a car in Paris’s 15th arrondissement, not far from the epicentre of celebrations.
In a separate incident in Dax, southwestern France, a 17-year-old boy was fatally stabbed during a PSG celebration gathering.
Prosecutors said the motive behind the stabbing remains unclear, and the suspect is still at large.
Police were forced to intervene as tensions flared on the Champs-Élysées, with water cannons deployed to disperse crowds trying to surge toward the Arc de Triomphe.
Authorities reported that individuals threw large fireworks and projectiles at officers.
READ ALSO: PSG Thrash Inter Milan 5:0 to Lift First UEFA Champions League Title
Elsewhere in Grenoble, a car ploughed into a group of PSG fans, injuring four members of the same family, two of them seriously.
The driver later surrendered to police and is under arrest. Preliminary findings suggest the crash was not intentional, and tests showed he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Despite the unrest, the majority of fans celebrated peacefully. Around 48,000 spectators had gathered at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris to watch the final on giant screens.
The victory marks PSG’s first-ever Champions League title, a milestone many supporters have long awaited.
“This is beyond a dream,” said 20-year-old fan Clément. “It hasn’t been easy for us over the years. But now we have a team that plays with heart — no superstars, just unity.”
The historic win drew reactions from France’s top leaders. President Emmanuel Macron called it a “day of glory” and is expected to host the team at the Élysée Palace. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo also hailed the victory as “historic.”
The club is set to hold a victory parade on Sunday along the Champs-Élysées, with tens of thousands of fans expected to attend — despite the overnight chaos.
Television ratings showed 11.5 million people across France watched the final, underlining the emotional weight of the moment for a football-obsessed nation.