Featured Image Credit: Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images
Topics: Football, PSG, Tottenham Hotspur, UEFA
Ben McAleer
Topics: Football, PSG, Tottenham Hotspur, UEFA
After securing Europa League glory back in May, ending a 17-year wait for silverware, Tottenham supporters felt they’d done enough to land the Super Cup on Wednesday night.
Micky van de Ven fired Spurs ahead shortly before the break before newly-appointed captain Cristian Romero doubled Spurs’ advantage after the restart. Spurs had started the game against Champions League winners PSG strongly as Thomas Frank oversaw his first competitive game in charge of the north London side.
However, Luis Enrique made changes for the second half, introducing Fabian Ruiz, Lee Kang-In and Goncalo Ramos, and the subs swung the game in PSG’s favour. Lee halved the deficit in the 86th minute and Ramos headed in the equaliser in second half stoppage time.
The Super Cup itself goes straight to penalties, so fans and neutrals didn’t have to wait long before finding out who would go on to lift the European trophy.
Advert
Spurs at one stage were 2-0 up in the shootout, but Van de Ven and Mathys Tel both missed their spotkicks, the former's saved by new PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, swinging the lottery in the French side’s favour. And Nuno Mendes kept his cool from 12 yards as PSG won their first piece of silverware for the season, breaking Spurs’ hearts.
While supporters of Frank’s side hardly stuck around for the trophy lift, those watching in the stadium and at home will have noticed two mystery children alongside UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin at the medal ceremony. And shortly after full time on Wednesday night, the official UEFA account posted confirmation on the identities of the kids.
Advert
“Two Palestinian refugee children are taking part in the medal ceremony alongside UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin at the 2025 UEFA Super Cup following an invitation from the @UEFA_Foundation for Children,” UEFA posted on their official X account.
UEFA put out a media release earlier on Wednesday confirming that both children would be in attendance in Udine.
“The UEFA Foundation for Children has invited two refugee children to take part in the medals ceremony alongside UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin at the 2025 UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC on 13 August in Udine,” the statement said.
“12-year-old Tala is a young Palestinian girl with fragile health who was transferred to Milan to receive appropriate medical care, as the adequate equipment was lacking in Gaza after the start of the war.
Advert
“Tala will be joined on the podium by 9-year-old Mohamed, who lost his parents during the war and was severely injured following an air strike. Due to the seriousness of his condition and his young age, Mohamed and his grandmother were fortunate enough to leave Gaza and were welcomed in Milan, where Mohamed is currently undergoing medical treatment.”
It’s not the first time UEFA have extended an invitation for children to partake in the medal ceremony. At Euro 2025, many took to social media to comment on a young girl who was alongside Prince William as England claimed victory over Spain.
Advert
Chloe Kelly scored the decisive penalty to deliver glory for the Lionesses, three years after scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2022 final. And it was shortly after the medal ceremony that the young girl, who stole the show as England collected their winners’ medals, was identified.
According to German outlet 20 Minuten, she was a 12-year-old Portuguese national named Greta. She resides in Switzerland, the host nation of Euro 2025, and lives with a genetic form of epilepsy that was diagnosed at the age of six months.
She was, like Tala and Mohamed on Wednesday night, invited to the trophy presentation as part of the UEFA Foundation for Children.