From a 12,000‑spectator debut to 14 titles: PSG’s first Trophée des champions

On 3 January 1996, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) faced FC Nantes in the inaugural Trophée des champions at Stade Francis‑Le Blé, Brest, before 12 000 spectators; the match ended with PSG lifting the trophy, a triumph that would eventually become one of 14 in the club’s history.

The competition was organised by the Ligue de football professionnel (LFP) and marked the first edition of the Trophée des champions. PSG entered as the recent Coupe de France winners, challenging the reigning French champions, FC Nantes.

In front of the 12 000 fans, Pascal Nouma opened the scoring with a left‑foot strike that slipped under Dominique Casagrande’s bar in the 15th minute. Nantes equalised through Nicolas Ouédec in the 27th, Benoît Cauet gave the Canaris the lead in the 32nd, and Youri Djorkaeff restored parity for PSG just before half‑time, 2‑2 at the 38th minute.

Penalty drama decides the trophy

The dead‑lock led to a penalty shoot‑out in which both left‑backs, Christophe Pignol and Patrick Colleter, missed their attempts. Claude Makelele’s final kick sailed over Bernard Lama’s cross‑bar, handing PSG the victory.

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Coach Luis Fernandez said, “I am satisfied with the overall behaviour of my players, they fought well until the end. And it’s always good to inscribe your name at the bottom of a trophy.”

Four months later, Fernandez would become the first French manager to win the now‑defunct Cup Winners’ Cup, adding European glory to his résumé.

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The contrast between that modest debut and PSG’s current tally of 14 (potentially 15) Trophée des champions highlights the club’s evolution from a single‑match triumph to a dominant force in French football.