Paris Saint-Germain needed every ounce of nerve in Qatar, and a goalkeeper making his first big global final delivered one for the ages. PSG defeated Flamengo in the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup Final, winning a penalty shootout 2:1 after a tense 1:1 draw through 120 minutes at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan on December 17. The win crowned PSG’s year with a rare sextuple, and it had a new hero: Matvei Safonov.

The Russian keeper, in the team because regular starter Lucas Chevalier was injured, saved four penalties to carry PSG over the line. In a shootout that felt like a battle of wills more than precision, Safonov’s hands and calm decided it. Even an Ousmane Dembélé miss from the spot did not derail the French champions. On a stage watched by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and a global audience on DAZN, PSG found a way.

Safonov’s night: a new PSG cult hero

Penalty shootouts expose nerves. Safonov turned them into his playground. He read run-ups, waited an extra heartbeat, and then struck. Four times he got it right. When the final save went wide of the post, PSG’s huddle exploded. This was not just a good performance. It was a defining one.

Safonov’s story matters because it speaks to squad depth and coaching trust. Luis Enrique had to turn to a backup keeper under the brightest lights. He did not blink. Safonov rewarded that faith, and PSG lifted a trophy that demanded resilience more than flair.

“Four saves in a shootout? That’s not luck, that’s ice in the veins.”

How PSG vs Flamengo unfolded in Al Rayyan

PSG started strong. Fabián Ruiz thought he had put them ahead early, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside. That call stung, but it did not crush their rhythm. On 38 minutes, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia broke the deadlock. The winger’s finish was the kind that flips a final on its head: cool, quick, and ruthless.

Flamengo reacted after the break. They pushed the line higher and forced errors. The equalizer came on 62 minutes when Jorginho converted from the penalty spot. From that moment, the final felt like a tug of war. PSG tried to manage the tempo. Flamengo tried to punch the space. Extra time came and went without a winner. The scoreboard stayed 1:1, both teams daring the other to make a mistake.

With the evening kickoff listed across outlets as 18:00 or 20:00 local time in Qatar, the match grew into a late-night drama. When it went to penalties, the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium tightened. That’s when Safonov took over.

“Kvara delivers in finals. That 38′ strike changed the energy completely.”

Penalty shootout drama: the rare 2:1 scoreline

A 2:1 shootout is unusual. It means keepers won the night. Both sides missed chances; both keepers guessed right. But one man dominated the moment. Safonov’s four saves tipped the balance, turning a knife-edge into PSG’s parade. Even when Dembélé missed his attempt, the shootout stayed in PSG’s grip because their keeper kept shutting the door.

Flamengo will rue the lost opportunities, especially after the poise they showed to level the match and stretch PSG to 120 minutes. Yet the verdict is clear: this was a final decided by a keeper’s instincts and courage.

What this trophy means: PSG’s 2025 sextuple

This win completes a year few clubs ever touch. PSG’s 2025 trophy cabinet now holds six major pieces: the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, Ligue 1, the French Cup, the French Supercup, and now the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. They even reached the Club World Cup final, a sign of sustained excellence beyond Europe.

For Luis Enrique, this is legacy work. Managing stars is one thing; managing moments is another. He did both, and he did it across different competitions, continents, and pressures. On the other bench, Flamengo’s coach Filipe Luis can still take pride. His squad earned its place in this final by beating Cruz Azul 2:1 and Pyramids FC 2:0. They proved they are built for knockout football.

“Call it what you want — it’s a sextuple. PSG just checked every box in 2025.”

Intercontinental Cup stakes: champions of six confederations

The FIFA Intercontinental Cup brings together champions from all six confederations. PSG qualified as UEFA Champions League winners. Flamengo arrived as Copa Libertadores winners and had to survive extra hurdles to get here. The format puts different styles and speeds on the same field. The result is a sharp, high-stakes one-off where small details carry big weight.

That is why the VAR offside, the Kvaratskhelia opener, and the Jorginho penalty mattered so much. Each moment shifted the tide. And that is why a goalkeeper stepping in for an injured starter could become the match-winner. In this tournament, margins are thin and heroes can be unexpected.

Broadcast, stage, and star power in Qatar

The final took place at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar — a venue built for pressure nights. Listings showed an evening kickoff (18:00 or 20:00 local), and global streaming landed on DAZN, with live tickers from outlets like ran.de tracking every twist. The stage felt bigger than a single game, too. FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended, and 24 hours earlier, Ousmane Dembélé was named the 2025 World Footballer of the Year.

Dembélé’s missed penalty would have been the headline on another night. Instead, Safonov’s saves wrote the story and kept PSG’s party going.

What’s next for PSG and Flamengo?

For PSG, the sextuple is both a finish line and a starting point. The bar is now set even higher. Luis Enrique will know that keeping hunger and balance is the next challenge. The squad has proven it can win in Europe and beyond. Now it must guard against complacency.

For Flamengo, this is a tough lesson at the edge of glory. The path through Cruz Azul and Pyramids FC showed quality and control. The final reminded them that top trophies can hinge on one kick. Under Filipe Luis, they have the base to come back stronger. South America will watch how they translate this run into dominance at home and another push on the continent.

In the end, the 2025 Intercontinental Cup Final was simple and unforgettable: a tight game, a clutch equalizer, extra time with no breakthrough, and a shootout owned by one man. PSG got their sixth trophy of the year. Football got a new story about a goalkeeper who refused to be beaten. And in Al Rayyan, under the lights, Matvei Safonov became a name kids will remember.