When Luis Enrique claimed in early 2024 that Paris Saint-Germain would be better without Kylian Mbappe, many dismissed it as arrogance or deflection.

Fifteen months later, after PSG’s first Champions League triumph — a jaw-dropping 5-0 steamrolling of Inter Milan in Saturday’s final in Munich — the Spanish coach’s bold prediction looks less like provocation and more like prophecy.

The victory marked the culmination of a profound transformation, from a club defined by star power to one shaped by structure, tactical clarity and collective belief.